The Strength of Love
by Faeroen
Summary: Why would a hardened assassin fall in love with a girl that teaches kendo, but never fought in battle? Never murdered anyone? Never even held a real sword?
1. Flashback

The light eventually woke Kenshin; the sun had been up for a few hours. He blinked his eyes open when a woman called his name. The woman sounded worried and he heard quick light steps. Why was he on a strange roof in a sleeping yukata and where were his clothes? A katana was not far from his right hand, but this was not his sword. He did not recognize the scabbard or the hilt. Something was at odds here. If he had inadvertently landed himself in danger and was now a hostage for the enemy, why had he passed out during his escape? Why had they made him a hostage instead of killing him? Where was his sword? How did he get this one? Drawing the blade he discovered it was a sakabato, a reversed blade, he studied its weight and found it more comfortable in the palm that his own katana. His shorter blade was gone leaving him with an incomplete daisho, not that men generally got close enough for him to need the wakizashi.

Someone with a strong chi was almost directly below. The sooner he attacked the better - the element of surprise would be on his side. Had they thought he would be unable to kill with a mere sakabato? Retying his hair in a high tail, and creeping carefully to the edge, he frowned at the sight below him. There was no imminent danger here. There was an unarmed man, that looked a few years older than him, and a woman with her back turned to him. The man was tall, built, but a bit on a lanky side; however, he could tell that his lack of muscular bulk betrayed his actual strength. His ki was much stronger than the woman's and his brown hair was spiked up in all directions. Hands were shoved in pockets as he chewed on a fish bone. With a deft movement Kenshin landed in front of the man.

"Why were you on the roof?"

The man made no move to attack, but he kept his hand on the hilt. He understood the man not wanting to fight him – very few ever did, but he didn't defend himself either. Although it was futile every other man had made some effort instead of slouching against a porch rail with hands in their pockets.

The woman spun around and stormed at him, "I've been looking everywhere for you! What happened? One odd noise in the middle of the night, and you're gone until breakfast?" then began checking him for injuries. She smacked the side of his head with her palm as soon as she was satisfied. Was she an enemy? Large blue eyes that almost matched the ribbon in her long black tail glared at him as she waited for an answer. Her appearance was irrelevant; she moved like a swordsman and the man was probably a street-brawler who may very well be the reason he's here instead of at headquarters.

"You've been acting real weird since those politicians left yesterday. Did Saito come back last night?"

"You know him?" How did he know the third captain of the Shinsengumi? The Wolf of Mibu wasn't known to tolerate men this undisciplined.

"Yeah" The man motioned to his bandaged ribs "We've met."

Was he being sarcastic? Why did Saito break his ribs instead of making short work of him? Kenshin loosened his grip on the hilt of his katana. Having a common enemy was close enough to an ally.

"You should get dressed, Kenshin." She gestured toward the covered porch.

Since she knew his real name he headed for the steps, yet he grasped the hilt of his sword again and stretched out his chi to sense anyone else who may be lurking inside.

The kitchen was a comfortable size with the usual wood stove, raised washtub and a cupboard for food storage. The dishes were neatly stacked on a shelf and a second, smaller cabinet held a broom and other cleaning supplies. He opened the other door which led to a short hallway that didn't indicate where a change of clothes might be.

"Are you feeling alright?" The woman looked at him strangely from the doorway "You're still acting like the fight isn't over. Okubo Toshimichi gave you until May 14th to answer him; can't you relax until then?"

"It's the beginning of May?" He turned to study her. "How long have I been…what is this place?"

He read her chi more thoroughly and was a bit surprised at the strength and honesty he found. So she could probably take care of herself, and if he judged correctly, she was pretty much incapable of lying.

She was studying him just as carefully. It was strange to have a woman, who he could take out in a heartbeat, size him up like they were equal. Did she possibly think she was a match for him or was she looking for an ally against Saito? No, that look had nothing to do with battle; sometimes Tomoe looked at him the same way.

"You don't remember me." Kaoru lowered her eyes "Who are you, then?"

"You called me Kenshin so you must know I'm hitokiri Battosai."

"Battosai? Why in the world would you call yourself…you were a member of the Ishin Shishi in Kyoto."

"I still am." Now she gets scared?

"Your room is this way." She led him down the short hall opening the door at the end.

A futon and blankets were spread out on the floor next to an old trunk. Other than that the room was bare.

Sano leaned in the open doorway behind Kaoru. "It's been ten years since the Bakumatsu ended."

Kenshin looked at Kaoru for confirmation.

"Kenshin, it's 1878." She looked in his eyes like it was painful. To her amber with gold flecks were beautiful, yet she preferred them to be violet speckled with purple. "Sano, go get Dr. Gensai."

Kaoru slid the door closed behind her while he looked at his unmade futon on the floor.

He was twenty-eight years old? There was no mirror to check his appearance. He looked at his rough, scarred hands and saw another one of his fingers had broken at some point, but not set correctly before it healed. They began to shake as he realized he'd lost twelve years of his life. Kenshin curled them into fists to steady himself and sat on the unmade futon until he noticed a red hair in the folds of the blanket. He didn't sleep on a futon, not since he left his training master Hiko Seijuro.

The old trunk in the corner held a change of clothes and his travel pack. Kenshin changed into the patched magenta gi and worn white hakama while Kaoru began talking to him through the rice paper door giving him a brief description of his best friend Sagara Sanosuke.

"He constantly chews on fish bones and the 'Bad' symbol on his back is in memory of being a cadet in the Sekiho Army."

If the man used to be Sekihoutai then he ought to hate me, not be a friend. Wait, Sagara Sanosuke…he might be a relative of Captain Sagara, maybe his son. The man's spiky brown hair and habit of chewing on fish bones reminded Kenshin of Harada from the Shinsengumi. Well, Harada chewed on grass stems, but either way he wasn't about to trust Sanosuke any time soon.

"We rescued Myojin Yahiko from the Yakuza and Takani Megumi works with Dr. Gensai because she knows how to make a variety of medicines." Her tone of voice told him that she cared for Sanosuke and Yahiko much more than Megumi.

"I'm Kamiya Kaoru and you've been living in my dojo for almost six months." The woman who carefully checked him for injuries then smacked his head for worrying her didn't have anything else to say about herself or why he was in her dojo?

He opened the door. "That's it?"

She nodded and looked at her feet. "Unless you want to know how the Bakumatsu ended or about the Boshin and Seinan Wars…"

The woman doctor asked if he had a headache, if he was dizzy, could he stand on one foot without falling… The two women began whispering in disagreement about something he couldn't follow. A boy with short messy hair came in looking for Kaoru and was quickly pulled aside by Sano trying to explain Kenshin's memory loss. The boy's dark eyes quickly moved to the man in question standing by the stove. Kenshin figured the boy was Yahiko and feeling a bit on edge surrounded by strangers who knew him well slipped out of the kitchen. He leaned against the wall next to the doorway to listen to their conversation without being under their scrutiny.

"Hey Ugly, did you see his eyes?" Yahiko sounded excited.

"Of course."

"If Ken-san thinks that he's sixteen years old and still fighting in the Bakumatsu you know what that means." Megumi's tone was a little condescending.

_'Ken-san? That's a bit too intimate.'_

"We get it, he's Battosai." Sano folded his arms.

"His memory loss could stem from head trauma."

"See! You hit him too hard this time, Old Hag!" Yahiko laughed.

_'Who is he referring to?'_

"You loud-mouthed Brat!"

_'I think that's Kaoru.'_

"Little Missy, you sure Saito didn't come back last night?"

"Nah, he came straight through the door before. Last night was probably some stupid burglar."

"Yahiko, you know an ordinary man can't hurt Kenshin. It must have been someone like Udo Jin-E, but stronger or more devious."

_'Udo Jin-E…Jin-E…Oh, Kurogasa, the Shinsengumi traitor.'_

"How much has he been told about his past?"

"I told him who we are and how long he's been here."

"You'll confuse Ken-san if you tell him anything else, just act normal and maybe something will trigger his memory."

_'Why doesn't Megumi want Kaoru talking to me?'_

"We don't have to do anything to fix him?" Yahiko stepped toward Megumi.

She shook her head "It's not like a broken arm or Cholera."

"Hey, Little Missy, you want me to stick around?" Sano stepped away from the wall.

"No, I know you'd rather be gambling with your friends."

"Right now he's not the wandering rurouni…you've seen hitokiri Battosai."

Kaoru had a soft, pleasant laugh. "He's still Kenshin. I'll see you guys later."

_'Why is Sano trying to protect her from me?'_

Kenshin heard the door to the yard creak open but it didn't close right away.

"Kaoru, I don't think you're strong enough to handle this situation; at least try to smile or he may leave."

_'How can Kaoru contain so much rage? …oh, she doesn't…'_

_

* * *

_

Kaoru admired how well he was adjusting to his amnesia; there was no doubt she'd have been venting her anger over twelve lost years in no uncertain terms. Battosai had to have heard Megumi's parting comment, just as he had to have heard the sound of her bokken hitting the closed door. She felt like she was on the losing end of another Megumi set-up and decided to treat Kenshin no different than she always had and hope he'd get his memory back soon. What else could she do? Sit around and wait for him to leave? Yeah, like she hadn't been doing that since the day after he moved in…

"Thank you for the food." He spoke with a quiet baritone that unsettled her a little.

"You're welcome. Sorry we missed breakfast." She poured tea for him as he dug into the leftovers from yesterday's dinner Kenshin made.

Eating with Kaoru was a little awkward; it was almost like eating with Tomoe. His late wife spent more time writing in her diary than speaking to him. What do you say to someone that you apparently live with, but don't know? At least during the stilted meals in the dining hall of the Ishin Shishi headquarters he was able to eat quickly and leave.

"I have an outside training session at the Jouetsukan dojo today with young children. I'd rather skip it to show you around the dojo and neighborhood, but we need the money. Do you want to come with me?"

He looked at her with a blank expression not sure how to respond to a woman training master.

It took a moment for Kaoru to realize hitokiri Battosai probably needed some time alone and watching her show young children how to hold a training sword will bore him to tears.

"Yahiko and Sano share the room next to yours although Sano still sort of has a long house on Ruffian Row; that's on the other side of the market. He's usually here for dinner even when I cook." Kaoru gave him some more rice and refilled his cup automatically "Yahiko works at the Akabeko 'til closing four nights a week so he trains in the morning. Megumi works with Dr. Gensai and she watches his granddaughters if they don't have a lot of patients." Kaoru gave him the last pieces of tofu. "He brings Ayame and Suzume by once or twice a week on days when he makes house calls; they call you 'big-brother Kenny.' I can tell him not to bring them next time if you…"

"No." Eating with Kaoru was nothing like eating with Tomoe. It was a good thing Megumi told her not to talk. Recalling her tone of voice when he was getting dressed and Megumi's parting comment, perhaps Kaoru's monologue was retaliation against the doctor.

"You don't mind playing with little kids?"

He shook his head slightly "Why do you volunteer so much information?"

"We know you, but you don't know us yet." She gave him quick directions around the dojo and bathhouse; letting him know he'd be alone until evening.

Kenshin smirked at the way the woman with impeccable table manners got up and ran out of the room so she wouldn't be late. Megumi was irrelevant, Kaoru was only trying to level the playing field; that display of loyalty unsettled him. Kaoru's mention of Ayame and Suzume reminded him of the children he played with in Otsu; the boys used sticks to play swords with him while the girls played with a ball.

Everything Kenshin had seen about the dojo reflected a lack of money; the rooms were neat, clean and sparsely furnished with only what was absolutely necessary. The storage shed and gate needed some repair work. He wandered into the dojo noticing the miss-matched doors, sword marks on the patched walls and a thick book on a low table against the back wall. He read the plaques on the wall listing the names of the two students, Myojin Yahiko and Tsukayama Yutaro, then the plaques for Dojo Master Kamiya Koshijiro and Assistant Instructor Kamiya Kaoru. He met Kaoru, where was Koshijiro?

Koshijiro turned out to be the author of the book describing the family's sword style, Kamiya-Kasshin-Ryu, giving careful instruction for each kata. He imagined the sword moves as he flipped through a few pages. The passages on battle strategies were more dog-eared than the rest of the book. A piece of paper with much better handwriting was tucked in the back. 'Hide your strength as much as possible until it is truly needed.' 'The winner of a legitimate match cannot be blamed for being too strong; the loser will not be avenged' 'When facing multiple opponents try to create a situation to fight them one-on-one.'

The faint scent of blood lingering on the floor and back wall was too reminiscent of his recent deadly encounter with Captain Kondo and his 2nd Unit of the Shinsengumi making his hands feel sticky; this training hall had seen a lot of action for an unknown style with only two students.

Needing a bath to get rid of the feel of blood, Kenshin carried buckets of water from the well to the bathhouse, stoked the fire and went to find another change of clothes from his room glad that Kaoru had given him an afternoon alone. He didn't want to explain bathing in the middle of the day. Kenshin grabbed a rag and chunk of soap off the shelf and washed himself quickly with an extra bucket of water before stepping into the cypress soaking tub. This tub was large, deep and very comfortable. He sunk in further letting his hair float around his shoulders, even though it looked like blood in the water the scent was replaced by the aroma of the cypress bath.

* * *

Kaoru almost forgot to stop at the market on her way home from the Jouetsukan Dojo. She remembered that Kenshin wasn't cooking dinner as she passed the tofu vendor then bought a few vegetables. He was standing with his back to her when she came through the gate. His feet were shoulder width apart and his hands were on his hips as he inspected their small garden. Kaoru stared at his high tail as she called out "I'm home." Kenshin tied his hair at the nape of his neck with a thin leather strip and she just now realized how much she missed him. Not because he made dinner and heated her bath, but because he would've turned around and smiled as he said "welcome home." Battosai merely nodded.

He was stunned by her open, honest grin. The traditional greetings weren't used by Hiko or the Ishin Shishi and by the time he remembered he was supposed to say 'welcome home' Kaoru was already on the steps.

"You know if you spent an extra day at the Maekawa Dojo we could eat at the Akabeko. Oww! Geez Ugly, what was that for? I'm just saying…"

Kenshin quietly thanked her for the food noting that her cheeks turned pink. He wondered why his normal seat was at the head of the table; this wasn't his dojo. Why didn't Kaoru mention Kamiya Koshijiro? Where was the dojo master?

Kaoru noticed Sano's sour expression when he took a bite. "If you weren't such an ugly mooch Tae might let your tab slide and you could eat there."

"Ha! Look who's calling who ugly." Yahiko snatched a piece of tofu from Sano's bowl and got hit by a wooden spoon in the process "If that's all you think a spoon is for then-"

"You should cook with a shinai; it'd taste better." Sano finished Yahiko's jibe ducking quickly out of range.

Kenshin understood why they teased Kaoru about her cooking, yet had no idea why they stole more of it from each other. Their words were insulting, yet their tone wasn't harsh and even though Kaoru blushed she wasn't trying to hit Yahiko very hard. He watched her empty the last of the tea into his cup automatically. Tomoe asked if he wanted more during their meals and waited for his answer. Kaoru randomly gave him more and it didn't seem right to say anything when she was in the middle of serving him. How did he normally handle that?

After Kaoru washed the dishes and said good-night, Kenshin headed for the door.

"You're leaving?" Yahiko's tone made Kenshin pause.

Battosai's amber glare didn't make the boy back down. He was a kid, probably about eleven or twelve, yet he wasn't afraid of him. "You want me to stay?"

Yahiko's expression was enough of an answer.

"Let him go, kid." Sano spoke up from the doorway. "If Battosai doesn't want to live here he won't sneak out in the middle of the night."

Kenshin circled back through the empty market idly wondering if the Ishin Shishi headquarters still stood, or if the old inn had burned as so many other buildings had during the chaos. Were any of his comrades still alive? Would they recognize him? Would it make a difference? He had no attachment to any of his old comrades. Whether Kyoto had been razed or flourished he wasn't going there.

A few blocks farther led him past a cemetery, and as a matter of course, his thoughts turned to his wife. Tomoe was raised to be a traditional wife; quiet and an excellent cook. After she witnessed a man attack him he brought her to the Ishin Shishi headquarters where they shared his room as though they were brother and sister. She had eventually earned his trust and sometime later they became close friends; he didn't know of her secret plot to kill him for revenge.

His feet were on the edge of Ruffian Row, but his mind was stuck in the past. When he needed to hide-out for a few months Captain Katsura told Kenshin and Tomoe to marry and move to Otsu because a married couple moving to a remote village was more believable than if they were siblings. Kenshin told her he wanted their marriage to be real and took her gentle smile as agreement. By the end of Autumn Kenshin realized that he had fallen in love with his wife, yet she remained distant. The change in geography had no effect on her heart.

Five months after their wedding, in the heart of winter, they finally understood each other. A visit from her younger brother ultimately prompted her to speak. They sat against the wall, wrapped in a blanket talking long into the night until a brush of hands led to a brush of lips and their marriage became real at last. But when Kenshin woke the next morning Tomoe had already slipped out to meet the men she had hired to kill him.

If she changed her mind about having him killed to avenge Akito's death then why did she leave? If she forgave him for murdering her fiancé then why didn't she tell him about the plot? Why was her younger brother Enishi there scowling from behind a tree as Tomoe lay dying in his arms?

He took a deep breath and headed back to the Kamiya dojo because there just didn't seem to be anywhere else to go; nowhere to escape from old painful memories and unanswered questions.


	2. Family

After breakfast Kenshin searched through the old chest in the corner of his room to make sure he left nothing behind. A change of clothes and his travel pack were the only things he planned to take with him. His travel pack still held his sword repair kit, his flint, and the toy top, but there was a piece of silk he didn't recognize. He unfolded a bright blue hair ribbon with a faint blood stain on top of Tomoe's comb. Its light scent reminded him of the yellow wild flowers that grew at the bottom of the cliff where he trained with Master Hiko. Jasmine. Kenshin's hands weren't quite steady as he refolded evidence that he had fallen in love with another woman at some point in the past twelve years. His heart still ached for his wife so he put her comb over the ribbon before he headed outside.

Kaoru came out of the storage shed with the wash tub and laundry soap. Kenshin always did the laundry right after breakfast, squatting in front of the tub just like she was. She watched him for so long Kaoru didn't even have to close her eyes to see the way his hair looked like fire in the sunlight…the way his loosely tied gi fell open revealing his chest...

Kenshin came outside while she was rinsing a pair of white pleated pants.

"Would you please do the washing while I hang the clean clothes?"

This was the least he could do to repay her for giving him a place to stay for so long. Kenshin re-adjusted his Sakabato as he squatted in front of the tub grabbed the soap and went to work. Hiko made him do the cooking and laundry during most of the five years he lived with his training master so he didn't think of it as only women's work.

The scrubbing was relaxing; if nothing else it was an excuse to keep his hands in soapy water. He hoped the dried blood on them would go away soon. He watched Kaoru bend over to pick up a towel from the clean pile and hang it on a bamboo pole. "I was in the dojo again last night. Why haven't you said anything about Kamiya Koshijiro?"

"My father survived the Bakumatsu, but died in the Seinan war about six months before I met you." She didn't know what else to say or what he wanted to know.

"You didn't seek out the person who killed him to avenge his death?"

"After the Bakumatsu father spent ten years creating Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu, swords that give life. I refuse to dishonor his legacy just because someone defeated him in a fight."

He considered this as he grabbed socks from the dirty pile. If Tomoe followed the same philosophy they wouldn't have met, yet he had needed her to be a sheath for his madness. A random memory that wasn't his made him pause.

_He was backed up against a wall surrounded by police. They were trying to goad him into drawing so they'd have an excuse to kill him, when that failed they turned to threatening bystanders to get a reaction. Kaoru came through the crowd and stood before the corrupt officers making sure they focused on her instead. They sliced through her blue ribbon taking some hair as well, yet she held her ground. When he finally unsheathed his sakabato to protect her, Kaoru yelled warnings to him during the fight; words that were obviously not needed, but heard by everyone around. _

Kenshin glanced up at the woman who publicly sided with a murderer over men in police uniforms. It was the exact shade of blue as the one in his pack; Kaoru's jasmine scented hair ribbon with an old blood stain. Twice Megumi implied that he was free to leave, yet Yahiko said they were like family. Why didn't Kaoru make their relationship clear when she didn't keep anything else from him?

Unfortunately it wasn't long before another unfamiliar image emerged, even more unsettling than the last.

_Kaoru and a slightly shorter Yahiko were in a large room, like the dining room of an inn. Several men were knocked out on the floor or slumped against the walls too battered to fight. A swordsman attacked next making short work of her bamboo shinai with his steel Katana before Kenshin drew the man's attention from her. _

Kasumi-san, Akane-san and Sakura-san had stood between Shinta and a pack of robbers back when he was a slave. He was a few years younger than Yahiko at the time, but the image still haunted him on occasion. Kenshin took a deep calming breath to clear his head and scrubbed harder than necessary. He felt her eyes on him, but refused to look up.

"Ken…Shin?"

She ripped his name apart and emphasized the half that meant heart. It was too much. He didn't want another woman, especially one who repeatedly stood in front of enemies that were strong, skilled, and not alone. Kenshin stalked out of the gate closing it firmly behind him.

As Sano walked behind a tofu stand at the edge of the market Battosai appeared directly in front of him. Like the last time he was ambushed from a roof there was no sound, nor warning, but this time there was no confusion in his eyes wondering who he was or if they were enemies. This time he wanted blood.

"You know her better than anyone else, don't you?" The low, menacing tone seemed to echo in Sano's ears.

"Except for you," was his flippant response.

"What does she know about the blood shed for these scars?" Battosai's baritone dripped with rage and contempt.

Sano didn't know how to explain Kamiya Kaoru to Battosai. What would Saito Hajime, the Wolf of Mibu say? "She doesn't have to gut a man and watch him bleed out to understand you."

"When she's never held a real sword?" Battosai's amber eyes went a little red around the edges.

He's hunted like prey just so the guy can vent? What happened to doing laundry to work through his issues?

"Her naïve style will get her killed if she doesn't stop using shinai against katana" Battosai growled.

"Who attacked this time?" Sano folded his arms and leaned against the back wall wondering if the tofu vendor heard them.

"It was a memory. She didn't back off when her shinai splintered."

"A broken weapon doesn't stop her any more than it stops you, but at least you're remembering."

A steady sullen glare told Sano that this was nothing to celebrate.

"Relaxing at the Shuei-Ya will take your mind off it."

"I can't stand sake."

* * *

There were two little girls playing with a ball in the yard when Kenshin returned for his pack. They turned simultaneously and shouted "Big-brother Kenny!"

The older one yelled "Play with us!"

The younger one mimicked "With us! With us!"

Yahiko was on the porch and welcomed him home "Hey, Kenshin. Kaoru already left to be visiting instructor at the Maekawa dojo. Dr. Gensai came by with Ayame and Suzume to visit, but my shift at the Akabeko starts soon."

The bearded old man that he passed on the street yesterday morning was right behind him. "Megumi-san told me about your amnesia and I wanted to make sure you weren't having any headaches."

"No". Just more memories that I don't want.

"Big brother Kenny! We wanna play Kenny! We wanna help with laundry!" Ayame attached herself to his leg while Suzume lifted up her arms "Nice and clean! Nice and Clean!"

Dr. Gensai scooped up Suzume and told them both that Kenshin wasn't feeling well, but Suzume leaned over to Kenshin still holding out her arms. He grabbed her around her ribs and let her cling to his side.

"This ordeal can't be easy for you, but I didn't have the heart to tell the girls not to come with me. They haven't seen you for most of a week."

"She mentioned them." Kenshin carried both girls into the kitchen to find that someone, probably Yahiko, had made a trip to the market and left a few vegetables and a bag of rice sitting out.

When Kaoru first told him about Dr Gensai's granddaughters, he didn't think they'd be this little. Or that they had already lost both parents. Kenshin was grateful that the cute little girls would never fall into the hands of evil men like he did when his parents died of Cholera. Ayame and Suzume would never be the property of slavers even if something happened to their grandfather.

The doctor made himself comfortable while Kenshin put the turnips, cabbage and radishes in the cupboard. He began cooking some rice without even thinking about it. Apparently he wasn't going to get to the Department of Internal Affairs today. He supposed it wouldn't make much difference if he went tomorrow. Okubo wasn't really expecting him until Friday anyway.

"Is something wrong Kenshin-san?"

"I planned to visit the Department of Internal Affairs."

"So you've decided to go to Kyoto."

"You know about Lord Okubo's visit?"

"Kaoru-chan told me you were asked to help prevent another war."

Kenshin let Suzume get a scoop of rice from the bag and held Ayame as she poured it into the hot water on the stove. Both girls clapped their hands and congratulated each other for helping 'big-brother Kenny' while the doctor settled them on his lap.

"She told you about Shishio Mokoto?"

"We talk about local news and politics. She has a strong opinion of democracy."

He wasn't sure what to make of that. "I'm not accustomed to women knowing anything of politics. Or being doctors and running dojos for that matter."

"Koshijiro raised little Kaoru himself so she isn't like most girls. Megumi-san is an excellent doctor and Tae-san has done very well with the Akabeko since her father gave it to her."

Kenshin began shaping the rice into balls and the girls wanted him to make the onigiri into a bunny or squirrel. It took a few minutes for Ayame to explain that Kenshin was supposed to cut bits of turnip, radish and mushroom to be the noses, whiskers and ears. The tails were cabbage.

"Ayame, take the rice balls to the table. Suzume, take the vegetables."

The two girls consulted each other over the exact placement of the ears, noses, and whiskers – the strangest things entertained them.

"How did they learn that?" Kaoru wasn't that capable around a kitchen.

The old doctor had a dry laugh "You made those when they first met you."

Kenshin frowned as he finished washing the rice pot and vegetable knife.

"I don't suppose Kaoru-chan would have told you about that. She spent two months hunting for hitokiri Battosai and I bring the girls by to find you huddled over a campfire in her yard making rice." He smiled at the memory "I said 'Do you know who that is?' and little Kaoru answered 'He's a rurouni named Himura Kenshin' with that defiant tone of hers."

"She was hunting me?"

"A man she thought was you, but your reputation as being the most feared manslayer of the Bakumatsu didn't stop her from smacking your head with her shinai. I didn't blame her too much though; you were being plain silly sleeping outside in the cold after she gave you a room."

No wonder she only had two students if everyone knew she was harboring Battosai. Why did he go along with it? Ayame and Suzume interrupted his thoughts by tugging on his hakama.

"Let's do laundry!"

"Nice and clean! Nice and clean!"

"There is no laundry to do, Ayame-chan."

"Then we can play ball."

"Play ball! Play ball!"

Kenshin scooped them up a little surprised that the girls snuggled into his shoulders, each draping an arm around his neck. He wasn't prepared for their affectionate embrace and didn't know what to do. He didn't even know why he picked them up instead of grabbing their hands.

Dr. Gensai smiled at the young man's expression as his youngest granddaughter all but fell asleep on the young manslayer. "I always wondered how much a decade of wandering changed a cold-blooded killer into our humble Kenshin-san. There wasn't much of a transformation after all, perhaps you simply mellowed."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I meant no offense. You're deadly accurate with a blade and have a soft spot for women and children; that doesn't change much. After all these years you haven't lost your skills and still can't say no to your girls." He rose to pat Suzume's head. "Why don't you put them down for their nap? We can play a game of Go."

"I don't play."

"You will."

Kenshin didn't need to look out the window to know that Kaoru was sitting on the steps watching the sun set, yet he stood at the glass pane anyway. The doctor and his granddaughters left after dinner and Yahiko wasn't back from his shift at the Akabeko. He watched the florescent orange clouds with some idea of why he stayed here for so long.

Yahiko came back when the clouds had faded to grey and stopped next to Kaoru on the steps "So is Kenshin going to Kyoto or what?"

"He isn't the type of man to ignore Lord Okubo's request."

"What if Kenshin breaks his vow? This Shishio guy sounds like a good pounding won't stop him."

"He is a man of his word no matter what happens and you've seen how sharp witted he is in battle, knowing the precise amount of force to use."

"Yeah, but it'll be weird without him around for a while."

"You ought to worry more about your Migi Nagi attack than Kenshin."

"Whatever. G'night, Ugly."

"Goodnight, Brat."

Kaoru and Yahiko expected him to eliminate this threat. Captain Katsura used to send black envelopes with a single name – his next target – written inside and Kenshin got rid of the man before sunrise. Shishio Mokoto was a threat to this era therefore he was his next target. No, his former comrade that replaced him as 'hitokiri of the shadows' was going to be his last target.


	3. Friends

Kenshin watched Yahiko practice defensive moves. Kaoru pointed out weak spots with bruises from her shinai while keeping an eye on his footwork. He saw the power of Yahiko's thrust and grace in his footwork, yet Kenshin wondered how useful his bokken would really be if he were attacked. He was quick and agile enough to be a real asset to the Ishin Shishi, though.

The other student, Yutaro, came in quietly and began warm-up exercises. He looked to be the same age as Yahiko. Kenshin didn't recall ever facing a left-handed swordsman and idly wondered if it made much difference. Her Kamiya-Kasshin style seemed to target wrists and shoulders, how would that have fit into battle? He easily imagined hands and arms left in a gory puddles instead of whole bodies; he couldn't imagine living without his right arm. Seeing her attack both young men at once left no doubt that she's dangerous with a length of bamboo.

"Keep your back straight and watch your opponent's eye. Don't be surprised if he comes at you from the side."

He shut the gate behind him as he headed toward the river. Last night he had scouted the market section of town not finding a single inn, but then he had been in assassinations, not reconnaissance. It felt strange not leading a squad, this wasn't comparable to becoming accustomed to a different rank or position in the Ishin Shishi; men didn't wear swords, women were doctors and ran dojos, people gave friendly greetings to each other instead of avoiding eye contact. Tokyo seemed almost foreign to him when he also received friendly greetings from a policeman calling him Himura-san and a bearded old man who referred to him as Kenshin-san and asked about Kaoru-chan.

The Maekawa dojo came in sight and recalling Yahiko's comment he decided to peek inside to verify that she only taught young children. There were fifteen men training seriously with bokken and shinai so he watched unobtrusively until he overheard an old bearded man that was probably the dojo master.

"You should go home and rest today. Kamiya-san will be instructing here tomorrow so there will be a full house of beginning students for you to work with."

"Yes sensei, I want to ask her for a re-match. I may have found a way to counter her double shoulder strike." A strong young man bowed and left silently.

Kenshin sat on a log close to the riverbank not far from an old bridge to rest for a bit watching the rushes move with the current. While Yahiko was a little more respectful than Sano, they were comfortable enough with him to try including him in their conversations instead of falling silent when they saw him. Maybe he was looking at this the wrong way; there was no need to pay for a room at an inn until he decided where he wanted to go. Once Kenshin settled on a destination he'd be spending enough money at inns.

Kenshin guessed that it was almost noon and headed back to the dojo to prevent Kaoru from ruining the last of the rice making lunch; she knew the way of the sword, yet not the way of the kitchen. He walked through the gate to find Sanosuke and Yahiko glaring at each other while Kaoru reached up and smacked Sano's head lightly with her bokken. "What is wrong with you? Acting like you've never seen us sparring?"

Sano snapped at the younger boy. "You never attacked with Ryutsuisen! And both of you were facing her at once!"

"I've done that move like a hundred times!" Yahiko glared back.

"She's always fighting both of us" Yutaro folded his arms.

"His strike didn't land! I won't even bruise from this! After all this time you think I can't guard myself?"

"He attacked you with Hiten Mitsurugi style?" They seemed to finally notice that Kenshin was there.

"He only uses a copy of your move, but since we're practicing he doesn't go too high. It's not like I faced Saito's Gatotsu." She signaled to Yutaro and they each took a stance to continue sparring.

"Are you talking about the fight you mentioned yesterday? What happened?" The Battosai's grim baritone made them all wary.

"He attacked you two days ago to judge your strength; he's looking for a temporary ally." Sano tried to get Battosai's attention off Kaoru.

Battosai nodded slightly to acknowledge Sano's comment without taking his eyes off Kaoru.

"Saito isn't a threat. He won't come back here…and someday I will learn to keep my mouth shut."

"Not likely," Kenshin and Yahiko spoke in unison; one received a silencing glare from the other. "What do you know about facing his Gatotsu?"

"I wasn't a threat to him because I was unarmed." She indicated her bokken as she walked right up to stare directly into his angry golden eyes "He paused just long enough for you to come from behind me and attack."

She headed toward the dojo to put her bokken away since Battosai interrupted training and it was past time to fix lunch anyway.

"Not holding a bokken is unarmed?"

Neither Sano nor Yahiko wanted to explain Kaoru's habit of using bamboo shinai or wooden bokken against tempered steel, let alone her poor choice of opponents; Yakuza thugs, gangs of criminals, ex-Shinsengumi, etc.

"She stepped in the middle of my fight." Battosai went after her.

Kenshin slid the door closed behind him, the sound made her hesitate before turning around. She ignored his amber glare, but the set of his jaw kept her quiet. He exhaled sharply and crossed his arms over his chest effectively blocking the door. Kaoru mentally went back through their argument in the yard wondering why he was so mad at her.

"You interfered in my fight." He knew his tone scared her, but not nearly as much as he wanted it to.

"Of course. You were-"

"I don't want to hear it." His harsh baritone felt like a slap.

Kaoru put her fists on her hips still holding her bokken and glared at the hitokiri. What was his problem? He didn't say anything about her interference at the time and he hadn't been himself then either.

"You were between me and the Third Captain." He was amazed that she lived, between the Wolf of Mibu and Battosai she ought to be in pieces.

"I will not stand by and let some—"

"Have you done that before?" Kenshin took an ominous step closer when she hesitated to answer so he assumed that his fight with Saito wasn't the first time. "You will die."

"I don't have to be in-between you and an enemy to be killed." She got a firmer grip on the hilt of her bokken "It's not like you didn't know I was there."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes at her comment. No, she wouldn't know about Tomoe, he'd never tell anyone.

Yahiko stood just inside the doorway noticing Kaoru's wooden sword move to the position of Mugyo, down by her hand. She was waiting to attack. He nudged the young man leaning against the doorpost "Hey Sano, Ugly and Battosai are..."

"Yahiko-chan, do not call me ugly!"

"You two realize that Lord Okubo Toshimichi is coming back in five days."

"Don't call me –chan you old hag!"

"What did Okubo want and why is Saito looking for an ally?"

"We can talk about Lord Okubo and Shishio Mokoto at the Shuei-Ya." Sano shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled out the door as Kaoru and Yahiko beat on each other.

Kenshin pondered her stance during their argument and Sano's interruption as he followed the lanky man. "Has she ever struck me?"

"Um, well..." he rubbed the back of his neck as he paused "I really didn't think she'd be so merciless with you; we both assumed she'd just yell at you or something." Sano shoved his hand back into his pocket "Besides, Missy would've known you're not a slave trader if she thought about it for half a second."

A slave trader? Do they know about Shinta? Is that why she mentioned being between him and an enemy? No, he wouldn't tell her after only six months. "Why does my enemy want my help?"

"Shishio is planning to overthrow the government."

"Is he still in Kyoto?"

"Far as we know."

Sano settled himself on the old wood floor of his favorite gambling hall a little impatient for his turn at the dice. Kenshin crouched next to him with no interest in the game.

"Why did she think I'm a slave trader?" His voice was lowered not to reach the men drinking close by, especially since some of them greeted him by name when he followed Sano through the door.

"At the time it seemed like a better idea than the truth."

"Being a slaver is better than being Battosai?"

Sano stared at him for a long moment with his mouth open "No. The little Miss never cared that you were an assassin for the Ishin Shishi, she'll get in anybody's face if they bring up your past. But she beat you senseless thinking you won Megumi playing cards. Missy didn't let up until the lady doctor wrapped her arms around you and even then she tossed us all out on our ears."

"Tenchu or Aku Soku Zan?"

"More like pounding on evil for a while then yelling at it to straighten up." Sano rolled snake-eyes before turning back to Kenshin. "I've only seen her use the palm of her hand since then, but if she ever comes at you armed again dodge. No shame in staying out of Missy's range." Rolling a seven forced him to hand the dice to Hikojiro who wore a new western hat.

"She still uses bokken and shinai against you and Yahiko."

"Along with bowls, spoons and a tofu bucket once; that was an ingenious burn if I do say so myself." Sano's grin didn't last long. "But seriously man, when I said she'll get in anyone's face I meant anyone. You and Saito were in full on battle mode, one second she's standing by Yahiko against the wall and the next second she's glaring down Saito's blade blocking you until you nudged her aside."

"I refuse to let a woman die for me."

"Then it's a good thing Saito can tell the two of you apart."

Sano suggested they hit the Akabeko since they both missed lunch. The booths were built on a raised platform against the walls with a wide aisle down the center. They left their sandals in the aisle and stepped up to sit around a raised charcoal fire. Rice paper walls that went to the ceiling separated each booth making it feel like a small room.

The waitress was a shy little girl with short brown hair. She seemed timid around the other customers, yet her face lit up when she noticed Sano and Kenshin sitting in a booth.

"Those creeps giving you a hard time again?" Sano laced his fingers behind his head.

"No, I'm fine, thank you Sanosuke-san. Please excuse me while I get your usual order Kenshin-san." She smiled brightly at him before turning away.

Kenshin wondered what the girl planned to bring for them and looked over at Sano leaning back with his hands behind his head resting his left ankle on his right knee. Sano uncrossed his legs and rested his arms on the table as he leaned forward to nod toward the table next to the kitchen door.

Kenshin turned to see the young girl taking orders for a few rough looking men. She looked them in the eye and smiled politely even though one of them had obviously been drinking. He wondered at the change in her attitude then Yahiko came through the door with a tray glaring at them as he passed by. Kenshin turned back to Sano for an explanation, but he only sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You're not going to tease him are you? Do we have to wait another ten years for you to get a sense of humor?"

"Like Kenshin's ever made fun of anyone but you." Yahiko left two bowls of beef and steamed vegetables on the table.

"So what's up with little Tsubame?"

"Kaoru's been talking to her. She isn't so scared and jittery anymore, but Tsubame still avoids men when she thinks she's alone."

"The little Miss will have her wielding a shinai if you don't watch out."

Yahiko snorted in response without taking his eyes from the young waitress. "Let Kaoru know I'll be back for dinner tonight."

"Speak about your training master with respect." Living in peace was making this generation lose reverence for tradition and their elders.

Yahiko's face showed his devastation plainly as he shuffled away.

Sano frowned "That was a bit harsh since you're the only one he respects more than the little Miss."

How was Kenshin in the wrong? He didn't believe he was being lectured by a lazy copy of Harada. The only reason he approached the kid was because Sano was several years older than he was and if Kenshin didn't show respect for his elders then he couldn't demand the same from Yahiko.

"Why don't you refer to your training master as Kamiya-sensei?"

"She isn't a master yet and she never told me to use any title or honorific. I've overheard her referring to me as her apprentice, Yutaro's the one she calls a student."

* * *

Megumi showed up to check on Kenshin later that evening. "How are you feeling, Ken-san? Have you felt dizzy?"

"No."

"I really should give you a thorough examination."

Kenshin was amazed how easily Megumi made the words 'feeling' and 'examination' sound indecent. The tall graceful woman flipped her long jet black hair behind a shoulder as he turned away with no intention of participating in whatever 'examination' the doctor had in mind.

"I didn't think it was possible to make leather out of fish."

"Hey Ugly, what's white and shaped like a cube? Huh? Give up? I can't tell either."

Kenshin noticed the way Megumi wrinkled her nose at Kaoru's rice. He wasn't that thrilled with dinner either although for some reason this was where he'd chosen to take a break from being rurouni. As Sano pointed out yesterday, he didn't wake up on the roof because he was sneaking out in the middle of the night.

"That was my mushroom!"

"Like she knows which ones aren't poisonous, do you want to go to the clinic?"

"Ken-san is the one who should be at the clinic."

Kenshin set his chopsticks aside not liking the tone of that statement. Kaoru poured more tea for Yahiko then emptied the last of it into his own cup with a frown. Seeing Kaoru's ki blazing with rage he debated whether or not to intervene if she suddenly lunged across the table at their guest.

"While we were at the Akabeko Tsubame said I refer to you as –dono. Why do I use that suffix with you?"

She met his eyes when she replied "You refer to all women as –dono just like you refer to yourself as 'this one' instead of saying 'I' and 'me'. You also say 'de gozaru ka' and 'oro' a lot. I think it's a habit you picked up while you were wandering throughout the country helping anyone who needed your protection."

Megumi specifically told that stupid little girl not to tell him anything, yet it only took two days for him to trust her with his questions. Battosai apparently didn't care about her lack of cooking skills any more than Kenshin. She helped Kaoru clear the table and as soon as they were alone in the kitchen Megumi berated her for not listening to a doctor's advice. Kaoru quickly became defensive just like always, yet Megumi didn't stop there.

"And why aren't you against Ken-san going to Kyoto? Your only comment was to remind Lord Okubo that Ken-san wasn't hitokiri Battosai anymore. Do you want him to walk out on you?"

"This is his decision."

"So you don't care about his vow not to kill again?"

Sano leaned against the doorjamb "He isn't Kenshin right now."

"Kenshin is the same man who fought against Gohei, Jin-E and Saito. If only we could figure out who he confronted on the roof maybe there would be a way to get his memories back."

"That's why he has to stay here and as sullen as you were at dinner it seems like you're trying to drive him away."

"His leaving will have more to do with Shishio Mokoto than you Missy, but what will you do if he never remembers?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, I'll walk you home."

"You're becoming quite a gentleman; I knew Ken-san would eventually rub off on you."

"Nobody is rubbing off on anyone, let's go."

"Remember no man wants to be around a sweaty little girl all the time."

Kenshin half expected the sharp crack of wood on wood when the door closed behind Megumi, but not the sad frown as Kaoru picked up the spoon to wash it again.


	4. Chosen Path

Before sunrise he headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Kenshin was at the stove ladling rice into bowls for their breakfast when Yahiko stumbled into the kitchen more asleep than awake. The boy collapsed onto a seat cushion and yawned.

"Sano told me you remembered a fight." Yahiko stuffed his mouth and checked over his shoulder expecting Kaoru to walk in at any time. "So which one was it?"

"She was between you and a swordsman who splintered her shinai."

"Oh, that was when you guys got me out of the Yukuza. Did you ever run into them during the Bakumatsu?"

"The Japanese mafia was not a political target."

Kenshin left before anyone else came to breakfast and wasn't back by evening. Sano had tried to find out what was going on at the Department of Internal Affairs, but couldn't get past the front door. Okubo Toshimichi had been assassinated at Kioizaka. Security wouldn't allow anyone in the building and flyers were being passed around on the street.

This whole situation was reminiscent of when Kaoru's father died; voices murmuring in the streets, flyers being passed around about the war, the lonely dojo. This time the papers were about Okubo Toshimichi's assassination, but everyone was expecting another war. She hoped her father's sacrifice for peace wouldn't turn out to be a waste; the first anniversary of his death was in a couple of weeks and she wanted to give him good news.

Sano and Megumi stayed for a while after dinner, but Sano left to escort Megumi home when Yahiko went to bed. Kenshin obviously wasn't coming back tonight. Kaoru stood at the gate waving goodbye to them wondering if Kenshin really did leave without saying goodbye to anyone. The dojo already seemed like a lonely place and she didn't want to be here right now. A shinai was tucked into the obi tied around her waist so she had little fear of being out this late.

After spending all day plotting attack strategies with his enemy in order to eliminate an old comrade Kenshin was in a surly mood. Saito bent his head to light his last cigarette feeling just as disgruntled as Battosai and decided to have a little fun with him.

"Did you say goodbye to the Kamiya girl?"

Kenshin answered by thumbing the hilt of his sword to loosen the blade with a quiet click.

"Don't dawdle; you have five days to be in Kyoto." Saito smirked at how easy it was to get under his skin.

She rested her hands on the bridge's railing as he approached, so much for slipping out of town unnoticed. Recalling the way she spoke with Yahiko last night maybe saying goodbye wouldn't be too awkward. Saito believed they had a relationship which he still found irritating.

"We heard about Lord Okubo." She turned to face him although he made no sound.

"He was murdered by one of Shishio's men so I'm leaving now."

"Thank you for coming to say good-bye, but Yahiko is asleep and Sano is walking Megumi home."

"I know. If Kyoto falls, Edo – Tokyo – will be next."

"Have a safe journey." Kamiya pride kept her voice steady although her eyes focused on the fireflies in the reeds at the river's edge to avoid having him see how close she was to tears.

Kenshin debated bowing formally to her and thanking her for giving him a place to stay, yet in the end he simply vanished into the shadows.

* * *

The city wasn't much different than he remembered. Most significantly, the smells of smoke and death were long gone. He needed to find the sword-smith, but food would have to come first. The Aoi-Ya had been rebuilt to look exactly the same. Did they reuse the same boards? As the headquarters of the Oniwabanshu, ninja spies, it was a favorite target of the Emperor. The restaurant had a good reputation before it was leveled. Maybe some of the older men were still around.

The food was still good; however the atmosphere changed halfway through his meal. Only eat with comrades or in a dark corner, be quick and get out. A week in Kaoru's dojo and he forgot something so basic. An old man joined him as he rose to leave.

"No Battosai-dono, finish your meal. There are no enemies here."

"You remember me?" He sat.

"I have not gone blind yet."

"What business do you have, Okina-san."

"The reason you return to Kyoto now and in need of a blade." He wasn't surprised Battosai recognized him despite the wrinkles and grey hair.

"Your spy ring is still intact."

"As is your skill. How was the weather in Shingetsu Village?" The old man stroked his beard and smiled at the red-heads expression. "You apparently didn't like Shishio Mokoto's vision of the future Japan."

"No."

"You're welcome to stay if you want to continue this conversation, Battosai-dono. The bathhouse is out back and we have a few rooms available."

* * *

At about two-thirty in the morning Kenshin sat against the far wall with his sword propped against his left shoulder. He was staring into the dark trying not to fall asleep, trying to hold off the nightmares for a little while longer. His beloved wife sacrificed herself by running into the middle of his fight with the man she had hired to kill him; Kenshin's dragon flight strike sliced into her back before he realized she was in the way. She stabbed the man through the heart with a dagger. He hadn't noticed that the force of his blow caused her to release her grip on the short blade and its tip cut across the scar that went from the corner of his left eye to his chin. Between Akira and Tomoe he now had a cross-shaped scar covering his left cheek.

Kenshin's head ended up being supported by the arm resting on his bent knee despite his efforts. This time he wasn't holding his beautiful wife in the snow as thick sticky blood poured from the stab wound in her chest. There was only Tomoe's serene expression and black eyes that masked most of her emotions.

Delicate porcelain features faded into a bright grin and laughing blue eyes that startled him. Eyes that flashed and sparked when angry, yet just as quickly grew wide with worried concern.

* * *

"Sano? What happened to you? You need to see the doctor, man. Who beat you?"

"Hey, Tsunan. Don't worry about this bruise; someone tried to persuade me not to follow Kenshin to Kyoto. You got any more information on the assassinations that you didn't put in the flyers you've been spreading around?"

"I know a few things that the government doesn't want the public to know. If you're really going to Kyoto you need to take some of these with you."

"You made more grenades?"

"I found a way to make them just a small, yet twice as powerful. Shishio Mokoto needs to be stopped now."

"Hold on, how many do you think I'm going to need? Is it really this serious?"

"He took over one of the smaller mountain villages last year and now Shingetsu Village is not on the new maps. How many can you carry?"

"Thanks, man."

"Good luck, my friend."

* * *

"Have you taken the ferry before?"

"No, I haven't."

"Do you think he'll go back to being Kenshin soon?"

"I don't know, hopefully before he kills anyone."

"He was Ishin Shishi, what if he sees you patrolling and thinks your Shinsengumi?"

"There weren't any women in the Shinsengumi."

"Do you think he's already in Kyoto?"

"If he took the ferry, but I think he chose the Eastern Sea Road to stay out of sight."

"When are we gonna get there?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"He didn't say where he was staying?"

"No."

"How are we supposed to find him?"

"I don't know."

"Will he come back?"

"Battosai doesn't have any ties to us."

"What if Shishio kills him?"

"One more question and you're doing katas until you can't feel your arms."

"Already am, Ugly."

"Don't call me Ugly, Yahiko-chan."

* * *

"Battosai-dono, are you still searching for a new sword?"

Kenshin nodded. "I haven't been able to locate Shakku to make another katana for me."

"Shakku died a few years ago, his son Seiku was well trained, but now only makes tools and kitchen knives."

"There may still be a sword left from Shakku that he'll sell, where is he?"

"Misao can show you."

They arrived to find Seiku's son had just been kidnapped by one of Shishio's men who also wanted a sword made by Shakku. The old sword-smith's last known blade had been dedicated to a temple sending Kenshin and Misao off in different directions; one to the temple, the other to get help.

Kenshin saw a straw-haired man hanging a baby in a tree near the entrance. The man introduced himself Cho, one of Shishio's Ten Swords. He knew who Kenshin was and that his sword was broken which didn't irritate Kenshin nearly as much as when Cho confessed the purpose for bringing the infant. He easily deflected Cho's initial strike with his steel sheath and since the man intended to test the blade on the baby getting the sword from the temple was more important than bothering to defeat the man. When Kenshin knocked Cho out with an elbow blow to his temple he didn't wait for him to regain his balance. Kenshin immediately sprinted for the sanctuary.

When Kenshin returned to the temple entrance Cho was standing between the crying baby and a rather angry Misao, Okina and the child's worried parents. Misao was trying to edge around to take the man's back while Okina and Seiku moved slowly in the opposite direction to get Cho in a position where Misao could use her kunai. Kenshin knew from personal experience how deadly her throwing blades were.

They're response at seeing him exit the temple newly armed alerted Cho to his presence so Kenshin wasted no time in attacking. Fortunately for Saito the blade was another sakabato or there wouldn't have been anyone to interrogate on the location and layout of Shishio's lair. Not that Saito preferred to interrogate, 'Swift Death to Evil' was his motto for a reason after all.


	5. Lesson Learned

From Kenshin's perspective, he'd only been gone for three years so finding Hiko Seijuro wasn't a problem. Convincing that arrogant, spiteful old man to complete his training fifteen years later was the challenge. A conundrum his mind kept abandoning to concentrate on Kaoru. He spent a week with her, insufficient to justify the way his thoughts kept returned to her blue eyes and bright grin.

Knowing the rumors about him didn't keep her from breaking his name in half like she could easily call him Shinta. Did she know? Did he want her to know? Did he want to test her love and loyalty until they faltered? He wasn't even sure he wanted to go back. Kenshin took a deep cleansing breath and forced his mind to focus on his upcoming challenge with his insufferable training master.

Hiko Seijuro sat on the log in front of his campfire savoring a saucer of sake. He didn't fully recognize the ki approaching from behind; perhaps it was a combination of their time apart and the jug of sake he consumed. He stood, turned and drew his katana in a blur of motion, aware that the blow he deflected was from a different man than he expected his student to become. Only a trace of the Kenshin he knew remained.

Kenshin went through the motions of sitting formally with his sword on the ground in front of him and very respectfully asking the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi to complete his training. He fully expected the scoffing response he received and showed no emotion as he retrieved his sakabato and stood up.

"You think you can defeat Shishio Mokoto with that blade? You're still as stupid as ever." I wasted my time training this idealistic fool.

"My purpose is to eliminate any threat of war, not necessarily to take his life." Even before Tomoe's death he'd planned on setting aside his katana when the Bakumatsu was over.

"Neither the Tokugawa Bakufu nor the Emperor made much difference in the lives of the common people; a democratic government won't make any more difference in daily life than Shishio Mokoto because there is more corruption than integrity in human nature."

"The Meiji era may not benefit everyone, yet all are better off with freedom than under tyranny."

"Between roving bandits, Yakuza and slavers what distinction is there between peace and war?"

"Too many good men were sacrificed for the Meiji Restoration for me to turn my back. I will not allow Shishio to immerse Japan in bloodshed again for his own personal glory." Could Hiko get anymore obstinate?

"And what will you do when it is over? Go back to your own version of exile, wandering throughout the country? Our path doesn't end, there is no real peace." His student was still as stubborn as a mule.

"After Shishio is defeated my path will end where it began."

"Then it's time to finish your training." Exactly where was the beginning of Kenshin's path? The field of corpses where they first met? Here? In Kyoto where he became Battosai? Hiko hoped the idiot was talking about some point after he lost track of him.

Kenshin and Hiko faced each other in their old training area; a rocky cliff with a sheer side over the river. Judging by the sly smirk on his training master's face this was going to take more time than Kenshin wanted to spend.

"You sacrificed your mind and spirit as Battosai; will you now sacrifice your life? You were a slave for too long at an early age; that may be why you're so willing to die."

"I will continue on the path I have chosen. I will protect Japan at any cost." Mentioning his early childhood was always one of Hiko's favorite ways to throw him off guard. It doesn't matter what he's planning this time, Kenshin will only give him two days before going back down to the city.

Hiko seemed to actually listen to his response. "If you land a strike on me I will finish your training."

This was a familiar game. If he landed a strike Hiko would come up with a different challenge or teach him some move that would be useless against Shishio. If Kenshin didn't land a strike he'd be doing household chores until Hiko decided to challenge him again. Kenshin flicked his wrist rotating the blade 180 degrees and locking its new position as he aimed one of the Kamiya Kasshin shoulder strikes at his training master's elbow. He used his full force and speed to execute one of Yahiko's moves grazing Hiko's skin. The master moved too quickly for the strike to draw blood, but there was no doubt about the outcome of the challenge.

"Don't you remember any Hiten Mitsurugi katas? I don't have time to teach you everything from the beginning."

"You didn't specify the sword style." Kenshin wasn't going to use something expected like Ryusosen or Ryukansen.

Hiko's bored expression put Kenshin on edge waiting for his next move. "Where have you been for the past decade?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Saito leaned against the wall lighting another cigarette. He exhaled slowly contemplating an updated version of his motto 'Aku Soku Zan'. He'd spent most of the morning interrogating Cho in between interruptions from Sano yelling something about a rematch and he was almost to the point of following through with 'Swift Death to Stupidity'. He didn't really need to get anymore information out of Cho and decided to leave before the hallway was littered with random severed heads. If Himura showed up he'd just have to come back tomorrow.

He stopped by the Aoi-Ya the next morning to let the local Oniwabanshu know Shishio's plan – setting fire to Kyoto – may happen in within the next few days. Saito knew from personal experience that the ninjas had a special knack for protecting the city. The local police, however, left him rather unimpressed. That girl brought in just as many pickpockets and petty criminals from the market as any other officer on the afternoon shift. She couldn't stay out of trouble, but at least she had sense enough to quit when it got dark.

Sano had broken out of his cell during the night and was sitting in the hallway with a bandaged hand. Several of the iron bars had disintegrated; the rooster-head had developed a skill that may come in handy.

* * *

Hiko and Kenshin faced off against each other at the edge of Hiko's clearing just after dawn. Kenshin was to use Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki, Heavens-Bridging Dragon Spark, against Hiko's Kuzu-ryusen. One of them would die; Kenshin made sure his sakabato was locked in its reversed blade position. No way would he die here, but he didn't want to kill Hiko; although while growing up there were several times that he wished the overbearing arrogant jerk would drop off a cliff.

Hiko took a last look at his amber-eyed student who had quickly learned the two most difficult moves of all the sword styles Hiko knew. He was now familiar with the battle-ready death glare and knew some of the rumors about Battosai were accurate. He attacked the demon of Kyoto.

Kenshin lay on the ground wondering how he came to be in this position when he recalled finding an intruder on the roof of the dojo. He tried to stand as the image of a tall man with three spikes curved around each shoulder faded. He staggered a bit, but the dizziness went away after a minute. Hiko was still on the ground, struck across the chest, yet not bleeding much. He was breathing so Kenshin went to the well for water.

Hiko got to his feet noticing that he was alone again. The wound on his chest needed to be cleaned and bandaged, but there were enough medical supplies in his hut to take care of this.

"When are you leaving?"

"Now. I have to find Shishio."

"You're not going to take this?" Hiko held out the cloak that had been passed down through thirteen masters of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu.

"I did not come here to become Hiko Seijuro, the fourteenth master of Hiten. Our sword style will not be passed on to another generation."

Since the Sengoku era there has been one master and one apprentice. If the master died from the succession technique, Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki, the apprentice then took the name, title and cloak. The Meiji era was ending even this tradition.


	6. Battle Lines

"Shishio has an ironclad ship that may be headed for Tokyo." Saito crushed the butt of his cigarette into the dirt.

Kenshin's first thought was to stop the ship from attacking; the government must not fall to an assassin. "I'll be back in a few minutes, do you have a carriage?"

"It will be ready by the time you get back."

Kenshin ran to the Aoi-Ya knowing that Okina wouldn't have to be told what to do.

"We didn't know about his ironclad, the Rengoku, until early this morning. Do you know what he's planning to do with it?"

"Attack Tokyo."

"Repeating history. I suggest you take Shirojo with you down river past Suita."

"Great idea, Gramps! The submersible will be able to intercept the ship! We can take care of Kyoto, no problem. Shishio's Ten Swords along with any other minions he sends will fail. The problem with repeating history is assuming the same ending will happen again. The Oniwabanshu will ensure a different outcome! If my beloved Aoshi is in the delta area then this whole mess with Shishio will be over in no time! I hope he shows up soon." She ran off to send more messages to Toyonaka, Suita and Otsu.

"It is an honor to work with you, sir."

"There's a carriage waiting at the police station." Kenshin took off at a pace that left the young ninja hard pressed to keep up. He gave the driver their destination while Shirojo informed Saito of their altered plans "We're headed downriver past Suita to intercept the ironclad in a submersible, Lieutenant."

Once the carriage passed the busiest streets, the driver snapped the reigns and four horses were off at a full gallop. They had a lot of ground to cover before sunset and Saito was scowling at the possibility that they may be too late. "Won't the Oniwabanshu need you in Kyoto?"

"No sir, I'm to pilot the watercraft so the three of you can board the ship, we've already begun making some preparations for Shishio Mokoto's Ten Swords."

* * *

Shishio ordered his ship into the mouth of the river. Yumi held his arm watching the sunset while he faced Kyoto. Setting fire to the city was his personal vengeance; she was only interested in seeing the current government fall.

The whole city will be ablaze by midnight and he gripped a telescope in his other hand so he won't miss the expected orange glow signaling the time to weigh anchor and head for Tokyo. In less than twenty-four hours his vision for Japan will replace ineffectual imperial rule.

The Oniwabanshu's watercraft was waiting for them by the docks. Saito and Kenshin spotted the steam from Shishio's ironclad farther downriver as they climbed into the submersible. Shirojo had no trouble getting them to the ship without being noticed just under the water's surface. Saito and Kenshin climbed up a maintenance access ladder.

Sano grabbed the bottom rung with his left hand when a thought occurred to him. Futae No Kiwami, a rapid double punch technique broke rocks and the bars on his cell so he wondered what it would do to a ship. He stretched as far to the right as possible striking the side of Rengoku at the water line. Anji taught him that trick, but didn't say it broke more than bones and rocks. Sano didn't use the grenades that Tsunan gave him.

Kenshin and Sano put their backs to each other in between the two Armstrong cannons and the main mast, yet only a few attacked them. Most of the men dove overboard while one of Shishio's men took control of the Gatling gun. Kenshin instantly crouched looking for the quickest way to take the man's back while staying out of his line of fire.

The ship began to list dangerously by the time Kenshin rolled to the other side of the masthead. The last man saw Battosai crouched on the deck in his line of fire, abandoned the gun and dove over the rail.

Sano was a bit surprised that there weren't bodies all over the deck considering the hundreds of bullet holes from a Gatling gun. He didn't get a chance to fight anyone and began yelling in frustration at the survivors floating away.

"Shut up, idiot. His Ten Swords weren't on this ship; they've probably spent the past few hours setting fire to Kyoto."

Sano looked up into the dark although it was too far away to see if it burned or not. "Who's protecting the city?"

Shirojo heard the last bit of their conversation and recited the list "The police, the Oniwabanshu and some of the clan from Osaka. The woman that patrols the market isn't usually out this late, but I wouldn't put it past her."

"The woman the cops were talking about? Do you know her?" Sano was curious about the 'Kenjutsu Princess' and wished she would've come back to the cell block just once.

"I don't know her name, but I've seen her. She has a thick ponytail halfway down her back, blue eyes and she wields a shinai better than most men."

Kenshin cursed.

* * *

"Sae! I'm so glad you're alright! Most of the stores and restaurants are still closed, weren't you up half the night to make sure no one set fire to your restaurant? We found a fire and I was attacked by one of Shishio's men, sorry we couldn't make it all the way over here to check your place. We saw a woman and a kid who were also out on patrol and they had taken a looter to the police station which is kinda why we're here. This is Himura Kenshin and that's Sagara Sanosuke and they're looking for the two that we saw last night. So, have you seen a blue-eyed woman who normally wears boy's clothes with her hair in a tail that goes half way down her back? Shojiro said she's been patrolling the market in the evenings, but I was hoping you'd know where to find her now."

Sae giggled "It's been a week since I've seen you Misao and I was beginning to miss you." Sae nodded a greeting to the men. "If you're looking for Kaoru, she's around back washing the blood out of her clothes."

Kenshin stalked toward the door murmuring "Excuse me," as an afterthought. He stopped short when he saw her squatting in front of a bucket wearing a threadbare Yukata. Kaoru's hair was loose and still a little damp from a resent bath. Her wide-eyed surprise quickly became a delighted grin and she rose to greet him trying to close the top of her sleeping yukata a little more.

"Kenshin!"

Her grin faltered when he didn't move or even greet her. Why was he looking at her chest and shoulders? Couldn't he tell she wasn't hurt?

"Are you angry with me?"

"You ought to have stayed in Tokyo."

"This is my only chance to do something important, to make a difference using my father's sword style." She was rather proud of herself for finding a way to become stronger while protecting women and children.

"You have to come here to do that?" He snatched the bloodstained gi out of her hands to emphasize his point.

"Tokyo isn't under attack."

"It could have been."

Kenshin squatted in front of the bucket of soapy water to watch her from a better angle while she hung a kimono on one of the bamboo poles; her movements didn't seem to be hindered by an injury and she wasn't wrapped in bandages. He began scrubbing the blood out of her gi. The cloth strips she used to bind her torso were almost clean when a random memory hit.

_Kaoru's wrists were bound in front of her as she sat in a very small shrine. She didn't say anything even though she wasn't gagged. Kurogasa took a drag from his cigarette and said she was under his Shin-no-Ippo with her lungs frozen and only had about two more minutes to live. Kenshin attacked with no success so he dropped into his battojutsu stance. Kaoru didn't find the will to break free of Kurogasa's Shin-no-Ippo until Kenshin raised his sword to take the man's head._

She wasn't breathing before she yelled…not until the reversed blade was flipped for a death blow. If he'd kept the sharp edge on the wrong side…the stupid woman suffocating to death with no will to fight for her life. No, not her! But to keep him from murdering an enemy…she freed herself in a heartbeat for that!

"I didn't think you were speaking from personal experience when you said you didn't have to be between me and my enemy to be killed."

"Don't be stupid. Wait, are you getting your memories back?"

"Three battles, they seem to define our relationship."

Until then Kaoru had hoped that Kenshin would eventually get his memories back and everything would be the way it was. To her their relationship – friendship – was defined by trips to the market, meals, laundry, sunsets... Of course Battosai would define their relationship by fights.

"Which fights do you remember?"

"You drew the attention of corrupt police officers away from me and yelled unneeded warnings in front of a crowd then you stood between Yahiko and a Yakuza swordsman with only the handle of a shinai. Now you were tied up in a small shrine yet broke Udo Jin-E's Shin-no-Ippo just to keep me from killing him." Kenshin lowered his voice "I take it you don't like these memories."

Kaoru dropped her eyes to the side, "No, they're not my favorites."

Kenshin watched her go inside confused by her response. To him they represented her staunch loyalty and bravery. So why did she leave instead of challenging him again or at least telling him what they meant to her?

He concentrated on his duel with Udo Jin-E as he rinsed her gi and binding. The fragment of memory expanded until he remembered laughing as he ran from Kaoru, keeping just out of her reach while she berated him for ruining her favorite ribbon. Was that really him? Is that the sound of his laugher? Were these memories of Kaoru the most important to him or the most recent?

Ripping paper caught his attention as Kenshin headed toward the Shirobeko's dining hall. Sano's serious tone made him pause by the doorway.

"Do you want him seeing this?"

"The Kenshingumi is back together so the poster isn't needed anymore, besides her drawing sucks."

Kenshingumi? Team Kenshin? When and how did that foolishness happen? He wasn't going to ask them.

Sano and Misao were sitting at one of the dining tables close to the door listening to Yahiko. "Too bad you guys weren't here last night when Shishio's men were trying to set fire to the city. We patrolled the neighborhood and market looking for arsonists, but only found a looter and some guy that was beat up."

"Anyway it's over now." Sano took a fish bone off his plate and began chewing on the head.

"Shishio is still a threat." Misao hit her palm with a fist to make her point. "He's hired the strongest swordsmen he could find and taken over whole villages. He massacres all who oppose him; everyone will live in fear of their own shadow as long as he lives."

"His Ten Swords failed to raze Kyoto so they're defeated." Yahiko didn't want to believe Misao.

"Shishio will not stop until he's dead." Kenshin sounded grim.

Sano leaned forward "You have a way of reasoning with people."

"No, I've only tried to reason with one man. I speak with my blade."

"Good thing it's a sakabato." Kaoru approached Kenshin "I'm sorry for my behavior earlier; I forgot how difficult this must be for you."

Misao was amazed at this woman who showed up out of nowhere and spoke to a sullen Battosai like they were friends. She looked from the surly red-head to her…blue eyes. It was the woman they were looking for! Misao grinned and insisted that they all stay at the Aoi-Ya.

Yahiko was just as enthusiastic about staying with the group of ninjas that they saw last night; he ran off to pack his clothes before Kaoru answered yes.

Their whispered conversation on the way to the Aoi-Ya was confined to events of the past three weeks; nothing more difficult than Kaoru's ferry ride with Yahiko or more taxing than Kenshin sharing a campfire with Misao. She told him about the petty thief at the market, not the armed looter. He let her know about his training with Hiko instead of a double hanging in Shingetsu that left a boy orphaned.

He wanted to ask a few other questions, although not with everyone else around. As soon as Kaoru entered her room Kenshin thanked Misao for inviting Kaoru and Yahiko while practically closing the door on her. Kaoru was a little startled by his behavior, but didn't protest when he led her to the farthest corner of the room.

"Why did Sano and Yahiko act like that?"

"We normally either walk side by side or you walk behind me."

"Side by side?" No way would he ever walk behind a woman.

"Only if we're talking or if you want to put a hand on my shoulder to keep from getting separated in a crowd."

"What is Kenshingumi?"

"That's Yahiko's term for those who fight by your side."

"Sano and Yahiko?"

"Please don't say it like that Kenshin. Yahiko admires your strength and skill; he was so proud when you let him go with you and Sano to rescue Megumi."

"I'm no one to be admired."

"The Kenshin we know is greatly respected by a number of people."

A woman knocked on the door "Sorry for the interruption, but there's a message from Saito for you, Battosai-san. Okina also wants to speak with you if you care to join us for dinner."

Shishio's lair was the six-gated shrine on Mount Hiei that Kenshin, Saito and Sano were going to attack just before midnight.

Kenshin and Okina expected Shishio to send all or some of his Swords to attack the city again like he did last night. Kurojo, the largest of the Oniwabanshu, had joined Shishio's ranks as a spy until their leader Shinomori Aoshi, allied himself with their enemy. He let them know that the Okashira was a traitor and that Shishio's lair was well defended with traps.

Misao looked stricken and ran toward the Okashira's office. Omime and Masugami followed close behind to keep her from doing something rash. Okina didn't look thrilled by the news either.

"Kenshin, you fought Aoshi five months ago and challenged him to a rematch. He wants your title as most powerful for the comrades who died protecting him."

"He knows your style and favorite moves. Aoshi knocked you down with a kodachi sword."

Okina and Yahiko described Aoshi's double kodachi and the strengths and weakness of his 'dance of the wheeling sword'. Yahiko told him which moves he used to defeat him then Okina covered his martial art skills.

"Misao came back dressed in the Okashira uniform and sat with Kaoru. "I am Okashira now to replace that traitor." She pounded her chest with a fist "If Aoshi attacks show no mercy, he chose to be our enemy." Her words were strong, but Misao's face showed her heartbreak. Her spirit was gone.

"I won't kill him."

Kaoru was grinning from ear to ear as she put an arm around the new self-proclaimed Okashira. "It will be alright, you'll see."

Later Kaoru passed Kenshin in the hallway. "Dr. Takani Shitago gave this ointment to me while I was at his clinic; it stops bleeding so you may need it. Thank you for not killing Aoshi-san."

Kaoru turned away to yell at Yahiko who needed rest before his turn at guard duty. Kenshin wasn't surprised by the rude response or the brief clash of wood on bamboo that followed. Nor was he surprised when a sullen Yahiko headed for the stairs with a large bump on his head. He heard that the boy's shinai had once protected Tsubame from a group of armed thugs and Kenshin wished he could have seen that since the boy's shinai didn't protect him from Kaoru very well.

* * *

The only part Mokoto allowed Yumi to play in this battle was to guide the three men through the convoluted maze of traps built to keep their enemies out. So Yumi was pacing back and forth missing the sunset to make sure that their enemies got to Mokoto safe and sound. He didn't let her participate in his battles unless the job was safe. She didn't want to be safe, she wanted to be useful! By the time Saito, Kenshin and Sano showed up she was irritated with her assignment and frustrated at how to change it.

"I've led you passed the traps designed to kill and you cannot go back the way you came. That being understood, I'll let you in on a little secret." She knew Mokoto wanted to make this announcement himself, so Yumi decided it was the best way to get back at him for not letting her really help. "You will only fight against Anji, Usui and Sojiro. Henya, Kamatari, Iwanbo, Saizuchi and Fuji are all in Kyoto preparing to attack your friends at the Aoi-Ya.

Sano didn't hesitate to throw a grenade toward the last bridge they crossed. Everyone ducked as bits of wood, smoldering pieces of rope and shrapnel flew by overhead. Saito let the idiotic rooster-head know exactly what he thought of him and his parents.

"Hey, I just made an exit. Now we can go back."

"Sano, we're not going back to the Aoi-Ya."

"What about the Oniwabanshu and the little Miss?"

"We have to defeat Shishio and they can take care of themselves."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Are you going to tell her that we let Shishio go because she can't defend herself?"

"I just wasted a grenade, didn't I?"

"You're an idiot."


	7. From Sunset

Yumi opened the double doors to the temple's main chamber revealing an oversized golden statue against the far wall that dominated the space. Sano was shocked to see Anji, the fallen priest that he encountered while lost in the mountains. "Why do you support Shishio Mokoto? I thought you wanted to make the world a better place." Sano dropped his gi on the floor by the door preparing to fight the man that trained him.

Kenshin sat against the wall studying Sano's fighting style. The posturing and attempts at intimidation were also used by some members if the Ishin Shishi although he found them to be a waste of time and energy.

Anji wanted to destroy the Meji government because there were corrupt members. The 'Bright King' rose from his position in front of the statue apparently disappointed in fighting the man he trained to use his Futae No Kiwami, a rapid double punch technique. "I will bring divine retribution to the corrupt Meiji government and all who support it." He struck first using the 'Mastery of Two Layers'.

Sano was fighting to protect the future of all the people living peacefully. He wasn't as strong as Anji, but he had more experience in street fighting. He dodged Anji's next blow while delivering another one himself conceding that some of the politicians in the Meji government were corrupt then shifted their debate to the need of protection as opposed to destruction.

Was this odd because Sano didn't separate a political debate from a fight or was this odd because it was Sano debating politics? The young man was able to dodge Anji's left arm and land a hit on his ribs, but it turned out to be ineffective. Too bad Anji wasn't a rock. It was also too bad that a fist wasn't able to slip between the ribs nice and clean.

Sano extended his fingers as he aimed his swing at Anji's fist creating 'Mastery of Three Layers' knocking Anji to his knees. "With the Bakumatsu and Boshin War there has been enough destruction of lives. Isn't there anything or anyone you want to protect?"

Anji pulled out a stone bar cracked and bloody from contact with Sano's right fist. He wiped at the blood with his thumb then urgently rubbed the stone against his hakama even though that wasn't the best way to clean it. Only three of the five names were still legible. "I wasn't there to protect them. I failed to keep them from being murdered. So no, there isn't anything or anyone to protect now."

Sano came close enough to see that names were carved into the stone. "Who were they?"

"Five orphans who were killed when the village chief had the temple torched while they slept. I turned from being a Buddhist monk to a monk of destruction to avenge them."

"And twisted your spirit." Sano frowned knowing how grief twisted his own spirit "Would they like the person you've become?"

Anji wasn't able to get the blood out of the cracks; he needed water. What would they think of him? The children had been too young to understand vengeance, to grasp the concept of killing a man simply because someone else killed them. He looked at the young man he trained a month ago seeing sharp eyes despite a broken hand. "Your right hand will be useless for some time." He rose to his feet

Sano took a couple steps back as Anji ambled out of the room toward the shrine entrance. What would Kenshin say? "There is nothing wrong with wanting to protect the weak, but it should be done not through destruction, but through kindness." Or something like that maybe.

Anji paused at Sano's words. The children weren't saved by his kindness, but they thrived while living at the temple with him. "It was good to see you again, Sanosuke."

Sano held out his mangled hand for Kenshin to unwrap after Anji left. Sano pulled a small jar out of his pocket and handed it to him as Kenshin pulled a similar jar out of his sleeve. "Megumi gave me this before I left Tokyo. Where'd you get that one?"

"She got it from Dr. Takani Shitago" Kenshin stated as he began wrapping each broken finger.

"Dr. Takani Shitago? She didn't say she met Megumi's family."

* * *

Yahiko saw the gathering crowd from the window upstairs and called the others. By the time Kaoru and Misao showed up there were over a hundred men forming a half circle in the street. When Okina and the rest of the Oniwabanshu came to look out the window there were two men and a woman in a kimono standing in the in front of the Aoi-Ya as though in an arena with the crowd seeming to make the boundary.

"Think defense not offense." Kaoru looked pointedly at Yahiko "Everyone got that?"

"No one is allowed to die while I'm Okashira!" Misao turned to Okina "Three on the biggest and two on the others?"

"A crowd that size is bound to attract the police so just have to stall until then." Okina frowned "Four on the biggest will give us better odds."

Kaoru turned from the window "I won't count on the police being of any help. Yahiko and I can take on the guy that looks like a bat."

"That's Henya." Kurojo adjusted the shuriken on his arms "Which leaves us Kamatari the Scythe and Iwanbo."

Okina stroked his beard rethinking their best odds "You four are on Iwanbo and Misao has Kamatari. Now go."

Shirojo opened the window allowing four of the Oniwabanshu to jump Iwanbo from the porch roof. Omime and Masagami threw their sharpened metal shuriken simultaneously aiming for his neck and massive belly. Kurojo and Shirojo landed in the street before aiming their shuriken at his belly to incapacitate rather than kill. All their weapons ricocheted from his thick elastic skin to land in the street causing the four to step back and regroup.

Misao held a set of throwing daggers between each finger "I've got the scythe-woman!"

"Scythe-woman?" Kamatari giggled "Not quite." Kamatari showed Misao the he was a man which completely threw off her state of mind.

Kaoru held Misao back "Falling into his trap like this will get you killed. Yahiko you might have to be on your own."

The boy nodded "That idiot is in no shape to fight. I've got this bat-guy."

"Yahiko no, wait!"

"Trust me!" All this time training with the strongest woman while carefully watching the strongest man and she still thinks I can't handle myself? Just wait until our next sparring session.

Since they were close together now Iwanbo took the opportunity to strike at his opponents with the blades around his fingertips. However, the four were agile enough to prevent getting eviscerated, hardly cut further than skin deep when he took a second look. No matter, the mighty Oniwabanshu were now huddled against the wall while they began dressing their wounds. He dismissed them as scared rabbits then took a step back to get a better look at Kaoru.

Henya sighed in disappointment that after all the men he murdered over the years some little boy calls him bat-guy. "I had hoped to face the one who uses Hiten Mitsurugi, but all I get is one little boy."

"If you turn from me you're not worthy to face him." Yahiko moved his shinai into Mugyo position "Kill me first bat-guy!"

"I'm Henya the Flighted foolish child." Henya unfolded his huge bamboo and leather bat wings revealing an emaciated figure and sticks of dynamite tied together to hang in two columns from the frame of his wings.

The first stick of dynamite propelled Henya into the air where his wings kept him aloft for a short time revealing his fighting style to an unimpressed Yahiko. A starved skeleton using the force from an explosion to remain out of sword range while injuring whoever happened to be within blast radius of the dynamite took no more skill than using a gun. Unskilled coward.

"You're all going to die in the end." Kamatari smirked at the girls' reaction to Henya dropping dynamite on Yahiko.

"Will not!" Misao released a handful of daggers aimed at Kamatari's chest.

He caught the blades then let them drop to the ground shaking his head in disappointment "Someone who wears an Okashira uniform ought to know to attack simultaneously when fighting two on one; you're just two little girls playing dress-up."

"You're one to talk." Misao really wanted to punch his face, but Kaoru was still holding her back.

The fourth stick of dynamite landed close enough to Kamatari to pepper him with debris and Yahiko looked like he wasn't going to last much longer. How was he going to get close enough to land a hit without being close to the blast? The fifth stick sent him flying into the front doors and the sixth removed a section of the porch roof leaving him fully exposed as he pulled a dagger size piece of wood from his back. Yahiko gritted his teeth to keep from saying something that Kenshin would never say.

"Misao, look at Kamatari's heavy blade." Kaoru whispered as best she could between explosions "If it lands you're done for, but if it misses there's a huge opening. We also have to consider the cannonball counterweight. Have you ever swung anything attached to a rope, or chain in this case?"

"Yeah, it will move in a circular pattern and the chain isn't long enough to leave much of a window." Misao took another set of daggers from her belt.

"The chain length defines his zone so stay out of it. I'll make him swing, you attack his weak spot."

Okina cracked opened the front doors "Yahiko, get in here. You won't survive another blast and I can counter his ranged weapon, now run!"

"Myojin Yahiko doesn't run!"

Henya tied five sticks together, lit the twisted fuses and let the bundle drop.

* * *

Kenshin kicked in the door to the next room before Yumi had a chance to tell them whether they faced Usui or Sojiro. No one cared, but Yumi didn't like having her menial task reduced to merely following behind Mokoto's enemies.

Usui sat in the middle of the ante chamber with his blindfold securely in place giant tortoise shell strapped to his back and short spear ready. He recognized Battosai and Saito, but the third man had a strange ki he'd never read before. He must've been the one Anji fought; the 'Bright King' was too compassionate letting him live.

Saito pushed Kenshin aside. "It's my turn."

Usui smirked at Saito "Why send Battosai away?"

"He can have the next one."

Kenshin nodded in agreement and headed through the double doors in the back of the room with Sano and a protesting Yumi not far behind. Fighting Usui was a waist of his energy. Saito was welcome to face the man alone.

"How odd that a former Shinsengumi Captain and Battosai join forces, yet you send him away" Usui rubbed his chin in thought "your heart is softer than I remember."

"It seems your 'Shingan' isn't as sharp as I've heard." Saito drew his katana debating whether to use Sanshiki Gatotsu or Nishiki Gatotsu.

"Ever since I lost my eyesight to Shishio during be Bakumatsu I've been training my other senses to the point that I have invincible Shingan. Saito Hajime, you are still a worthy opponent although your famed Gatotsu is nothing to me now."

"We shall see." Saito ran at Usui only to have his blade slide to the right when it hit the curved shell. The blind swordsman instantly stabbed Saito's right thigh with his spear.

"You've polished your best move to perfection I see. Unfortunately that means your only attack is the finished version of the thrust." He moved his shell shield out of the way to better hear his shoes on the wood floor.

Saito stepped back to his original position realizing that Usui heard his approach and had enough time to raise his shield. He gave it one more try; this time his blade slide to the left and Usui stabbed his left thigh.

"Tell me Saito, what does your own Shingan tell you about the outcome since you can no longer release your Gatotsu?" He moved his shield aside confident that the Wolf of Mibu lost his fangs.

"You accepted Shishio's offer with the understanding that you'd try to kill him. If you seemed to be after his life no one else would realize how beaten you were." Saito could either remove his shoes or use Zeroshiki. This whipped dog wasn't worth the effort of tying his shoes. "When you lost to Shishio without a fight, you should have abandoned your sword."

Saito took two running steps gaining momentum to throw his katana at Usui's chest with enough force to pin him to the wall.

* * *

Okina was knocked to the floor by the explosion. One door was knocked off its hinges and the other one was gone, replaced by a crater. There was no trace of the boy. Kaoru and the six Oniwabanshu stared at the hole in front of the entrance.

"Miyominane Homage Hit!" Yahiko yelled from the top side of the door that was blown over Henya's head from the force of the blast. He struck bat-guy with Kenshin's Dragon Hammer Strike breaking the bamboo frame and sending both hurling to the ground from the height of the upper story windows. Yahiko landed on Henya's skeletal frame which didn't break his fall much; however he was the only one to stand which send a murmur through the crowd of men.

Omime motioned him to join them by the wall out of Iwanbo's range where it was easier for Masugami and Omime to tend to his back and broken ankle while Shirojo and Kurojo debated strategies to defeat the man with impervious skin.

Directing the battle from the middle of the fray instead of from the sidelines might give them an edge since Yahiko was in no condition to continue. He made sure that the boy was going to be fine before demanding that a couple of Shishio's minions carry Henya to the clinic. There was no need to leave him lying in the dirt giving Yahiko a chance to see the damage done when an emaciated person falls from the second story.

Kaoru tapped Misao's shoulder to get her attention then ran at Kamatari's exposed right side hoping he'd swing level and hoping that the girl realized where his weak spot was.

* * *

Yumi crossed her arms, fuming as Kenshin and Sano debated the presence of a ki behind the door to Hoji's library. They weren't listening to her explain that Sojiro was waiting in the smaller training room and everyone else was gone. She checked the time on the pocket-watch Hoji lent her. Almost 2:00, there was plenty of time unless they stopped to chat again. Yumi wasn't that surprised about Anji bailing out on Mokoto. Usui was probably dead by now, no great loss there. She hoped the Aoi-Ya had fallen already. She'd feel better when the remaining Ten Swords returned, or was it Eight Swords now?

"No, someone is in there. It doesn't matter who." Kenshin ended the debate by breaking down the door.

"Draw Battosai!"

"It's Shinomori Aoshi." Sano warned Kenshin.

"No, she already thanked me for sparing him."

"What do you mean?" Why bust down the door and not fight?

"Master Hiko is the only one who still lived after I drew my sword so there is no point in facing him."

"I challenge you, Battosai!"

Kenshin jumped to the top of a bookshelf to avoid Aoshi's kodachi. He landed on the other side and pushed the bookcase over to land on the man. How was he supposed to make this man turn aside? Sano reached Anji's heart and persuaded him to choose another path, but Kenshin had no experience with influencing a man of war to seek peace.

Aoshi grazed Kenshin's neck with both kodachi swords, but was quickly struck under his chin hard enough to send him flying into the back wall. He rose and faced Kenshin with an offensive stance.

Sano looked at the former leader of the ninja clan who faced Kenshin as though expecting to die. Why did he prefer to be with the men that died fighting by his side rather than fight by the side of his comrades that lived?

"I will defeat Hitokiri Battosai, the ultimate warrior of the Bakumatsu, for the sake of Han'nya, Shikijo, Hyottoko and Beshimi. Then everyone will know that we are the strongest."

"That title means nothing." Hiko was still alive after all.

Aoshi attacked Kenshin's neck again with a Curved Blade X-Slash which Kenshin countered with a Dragon Flight narrowly avoiding a slit throat. Kenshin struck Aoshi's shoulder bringing him to his knees.

Aoshi punched Kenshin splitting his lip as a blade sliced through the fabric of Kenshin's kimono. He turned quickly and grabbed the base of Aoshi's blade with his left hand letting it cut into his palm and fingers to prevent being gutted.

The other kodachi sliced into Kenshin's neck again and he answered it with Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki. He walked closer when the tall ninja hit the floor the same way Hiko hit the dirt after his succession.

"Your men died protecting you, do not waste their sacrifice."

Aoshi laid on his back with a shallow slash across his chest the length of a katana blade. Shishio sent men to desecrate their gravesite, yet was able to sidetrack him into chasing after someone else's long faded glory and a title that held no meaning after the Meiji Restoration. He had to do something about that – as soon as he could feel the rest of his body.

* * *

Kamatari swung his heavy blade in a diagonal arc forcing Kaoru to dive into a summersault to avoid the cannonball. She jumped to her feet and found herself behind him and still within his zone so Kaoru struck Kamatari's right shoulder before she had to duck under the handle and roll out of his reach.

Misao hesitated in releasing her daggers until Kaoru was no longer directly behind him. Three were deflected by his rotating weapon and two imbedded in the wooden handle while the remaining five stuck in the obi tying his kimono. "What? Not laughing anymore? This isn't so funny now is it?"

"This was never funny to me." Kamatari continued swinging his blade in a more horizontal line to keep the woman at bay now that the girl was out of daggers.

Kaoru ran at him with both hands firmly on her hilt, front flipped over the blade and struck one of the daggers in the handle. A crack spread toward the blade, but she didn't have time to see how deep or far it went before ducking under the cannonball and out of his range again.

Misao came closer, stopping within a couple steps of the whirling scythe and still not seeing a way to retrieve any of her blades. Those stuck in his obi obviously didn't penetrate far enough to matter. She looked over at Kaoru who misjudged the timing of re-entering his zone ripping her left sleeve off at the elbow. Misao tried stooping under the blade to pick up a couple of daggers and got hit in the ribs by the counter weight.

Kaoru waved Misao to stay down as she ran toward Kamatari and flipped over his weapon again to successfully re-enter his zone, although this time her upper right arm was cut as the bade ripped off her right sleeve. She struck the other dagger imbedded in his cracked handle breaking off the heavy scythe and leaving him with a short length of wood attached to the chain. Unfortunately the blade of her father's bokken also broke leaving Kaoru with only the hilt.

After all the men Kamatari killed without so much as a scratch she destroyed his weapon with a stick. "Shishio-sama will be pleased by the outcome." Kamatari picked up the shortened handle and used both hands to swing the chain around his head preventing her from flipping in and out of his zone for another quick attack. He took a step closer to her with the intention of wrapping the chain around her neck or splitting her skull open with the cannonball.

The hilt was a little longer than the width of both her hands, completely useless against the ball and chain approaching her. She took a step back noticing that he swung high leaving his legs fully exposed and also his front fully exposed if she got the timing right. Kaoru ran at him again, this time ducking low to get under the chain and breaking the hilt as she smashed it against his left knee.

Kamatari looked at the woman still crouching where he'd been standing "Finish me."

"Kamiya-Kasshin teaches not to kill our opponents, but to conquer them."

"I cannot go back to Shishio-sama defeated. I'm useless to him now, show mercy."

"Your knee will heal; will he really reject one of his swords?"

Kamatari looked away from her blue eyes "I am not as beautiful as Yumi and no matter how hard I train I'm not as strong as Sojiro. I tried for years and unlike you I will never please him as a woman nor as a man."

"What do you mean 'unlike me'? No man is interested in me as a woman neither am I considered a strength in a fight."

"You certainly aren't a weakness. It seems we share more than the desire to be strong for the one we love." Kamatari frowned as the pretty woman moved to join the Oniwabanshu. If she wasn't Battosai's woman after all then who was?


	8. To Sunrise

Thanks to J Luc Pitard for the suggestion on what to do about Fuji

* * *

Saito turned down the corridor to the right. He needed to find a new katana and his contact…and maybe some bandages. He checked his watch, frowning as the minute hand moved another notch then determined that whoever Shishio sent to the Aoi-Ya was either on their way back or not coming back at all.

Shinomori Aoshi slowly got to his feet and left the shambles of Hoji's room.

Saito Hajime met up with Aoshi where the two halls intersected "Looks like you ran across Battosai."

"Lieutenant Fujita, weren't we supposed to meet in the morning?"

"By my watch it's been morning for a few hours. Do you have anything new?"

"Iwanbo was a token representative from the group that sold the ironclad to Shishio. He sent his own Morse code messages about a separate target from the terminal in Hoji's room; however I found no translated messages before Battosai showed up. The only other terminal is in Shishio's private chambers."

"No evidence that Hoji was in on it? Was Iwanbo acting alone?"

"There is nothing to suggest that Iwanbo is working with any of Shishio's men. I did find a container is his room that you may want to have examined by a poison expert; there is a woman in Tokyo I'd recommend over anyone here in Kyoto."

"Where is Cho's room?"

"Down that way on the right."

"I'll grab a katana then show me what you found."

* * *

Okina watched Iwanbo turn his head in a complete circle. He was the only opponent left standing, mainly because of his impervious skin, yet instead of pressing an attack now that they were all injured the large man climbed up the Aoi-Ya and headed north running across the rooftops. The crowd of men forming a wall around the Aoi-Ya began to disburse taking Kamtari with them.

Omime wrapped Kaoru's bleeding arm while Masugami bound Misao's ribs. This could easily have ended so much worse and yet Okina sighed in relief instead of shouting in victory. The Oniwabanshu gathered their weapons and began re-checking each other for even minor injuries then light from the moon was blocked out by a giant as tall as the Inn. "Shirojo, Kurojo, come and meet the army of Hagun." Okina began climbing up the inn to greet Fuji of Hagun, a man he thought he'd never see in person.

Fuji carried an enormous sword in his left hand and a short bald old man in his right who called down to them "Do you accept your defeat graciously?"

Misao looked to her left "Kaoru-san?"

"Why should we give up? We're still breathing aren't we?" She'd prefer having a shinai in hand though.

"It isn't over until Kenshin comes back!" Yahiko stood on his good leg balancing with a hand on the wall.

"Allow me to remind you, one step at a time, why you young folks have no hope…" began the man Fuji carried.

Omime wiped a palm across the flat side of her Ku shaped shuriken "Masugami, can you hit the old man from here?"

"Maybe" She tilted her head to better judge the distance "Isn't it rude to hit an unarmed elder though?"

"Shouldn't it depend on how annoying he is?" Misao stretched her arms up to see how badly her cracked ribs affected throwing range.

"…two, lets apply a similar analysis to the strength of your forces…"

"He's so long winded there's probably time for me to go get our shinai." Kaoru turned to Yahiko as if asking whether she should bother running to her room.

"His big head will be an easy target even for my left hand." Yahiko nodded for Kaoru to go, but Masugami held out a hand to stop her.

"Okay fine. No attacking the irritating geezer." Misao crossed her arms "We'll wait to see what Gramps and the guys do now that they're on the edge of the roof."

"…three, consider our strength, the Army of Hagun…"

"It is an honor to meet you Fuji-san. I heard that you are the last of the true samurai, but didn't think I would ever see you." Okina bowed to the giant "Put the old man down if you accept a challenge from the Kyoto Oniwabanshu." He hoped Fuji's sense of honor prevented him from attacking women and children.

The short bald old man pointed his knurled cane at the three on the roof "Fuji, show them a demonstration of your power."

Fuji leaned to the left letting his massive sword to cut through the other side of the Aoi-Ya from roof to foundation.

"What's your plan, Okina?" Shirojo asked as the roof shifted from the impact.

"Keep the girls and Yahiko alive." Okina's turned his steel tonfa nervously knowing their weapons were useless.

"Good plan." Kurojo held two bracelet shuriken ready.

"You accept our challenge then!" Okina called out as Shirojo and Kurojo aimed at the chinks in Fuji's armor.

One of the metal rings ricocheted toward Fuji's master who then demanded to be put on the ground. Kurojo let another two shuriken fly while Fuji bent over and although they hit skin Fuji wasn't hurt at all. Shirojo aimed for the armor plates covering the giant's face thinking that the metallic clang of impact was more annoying for Fuji than hitting him anywhere else. Kurojo followed his example and by and time Fuji stood up again both men were out of ring shuriken.

Fuji raised his sword slowly giving the young men time to dodge his swing aimed at the roof. Okina followed Kurojo and Shirojo as they jumped to the porch roof; however he landed badly and fell to the ground when the building shook from the second blow. Fuji didn't cut through to the foundation this time which saved Okina from being buried by debris.

"There is no glory or honor in this." Fuji returned his blade to the scabbard on his back.

Okina's head was bleeding, yet he stopped Omime from fetching the medicine box "Tell Fuji of Hagun that Battosai's training master is on the mountain to the west, if he wants a worthy opponent."

Fuji nodded to acknowledge Okina's message then picked up his master and headed west.

* * *

"Behind this door is the last member of the Ten Swords that you will face. Sojiro is…"

"Saito said he was the one who killed Lord Okubo." Sano shoved both hands in his pockets uncomfortable with how long these fights were taking. Shishio's men apparently weren't back from attacking the Aio-Ya and he hoped that was a good sign.

"He's the one that broke my original sakabato." Kenshin walked through the double doors Yumi opened. The old sword smith dedicated the sakabato to a temple obviously not wanting it bloodied so he had to focus on hitting the blade and not the boy.

"He looks young."

"Sojiro is seventeen. He's been Shishio's apprentice for almost ten years." Yumi only spoke up because she refused to be ignored anymore.

"It's been a long time Mr. Himura. I'm glad to find you well." He bowed his head.

"Thank you."

Sano and Yumi stood by the door watching Sojiro and Kenshin charge at each other. Yumi was beginning to worry that Mokoto would end up fighting this man.

Kenshin nicked Sojiro's blade on his first pass, the opposite of their previous duel, yet the boy's smile didn't falter.

Sojiro backed away from Kenshin wondering how a man who refused to kill could be so strong. Shishio taught him that the weak were merely food for the strong and Battosai went against that principle. The title Battosai meant master of lethal sword drawing so he shouldn't be protecting the weak. He was an anomaly that must be eliminated.

The boy ran straight at him so fast he was little more than a blur that Kenshin deflected only because of his experience dodging bullets.

Sojiro's lack of emotion made it almost impossible for Kenshin to read his chi. He saw himself in this boy; the empty shell who wielded a sword faster than the eye could see, murdering man after man because he was a tool for those who wanted a different government. This boy was faster than Kenshin and after a failed attempt at using Nine Headed Dragon he knew Sojiro was even faster than Hiten Mitsurugi.

The fourth running attack finally got around Kenshin's defense and took his back, yet the boy went by too quickly to use more than the tip of his sword to cut him from shoulder to shoulder. Sojiro wasn't tired yet, but his shoes and the tatami mat floor were both ruined from the strain of his speed. The boy stepped back toward the far wall by Yumi to change into a spare pair of sandals.

If Kenshin was going to survive this match he'd have to following Sano's example to break through Sojiro's emotional defenses instead of concentrating on his sword. Sano looked Anji in the eye and tried to reason with him which also worked with Aoshi to some extent because Kenshin understood wanting to give trusted men glory. There was no common ground with Sojiro that he could think of to convince the boy to abandon the path he'd been following for the past decade.

"Hurry up, Boy."

"No Miss Yumi, I don't want to waste my best move on him. Shishio Mokoto taught me that the weak are food for the strong. The weak die and the strong live. Mr. Himura's supposed to protect the weak, but when I needed help he didn't protect me. Fighting him is driving me crazy!" Battosai went against everything he knew, but the man was also right. If more men were willing to protect the weak then maybe someone would've stopped his abusive Uncle from trying so hard to murder him.

Once he was ready Sojiro ran at Kenshin again to finish him using the same technique that killed Okubo Toshimichi, but Kenshin easily blocked him now that emotions controlled the boy. He struck the boy's shoulder forcing him to his knees then held his sword steady a hands breadth away from Sojiro's neck trying to start a conversation. "When did you need protection?"

"You didn't protect me from my uncle! I needed you and you weren't there! I didn't want to kill my Uncle; I just wanted the pain to stop!" Sojiro backed away again and dropped into a battojutsu stance with his hand down a little.

He didn't know how to talk to the boy, but when Sojiro sheathed his sword obviously letting battojutsu settle the matter, Kenshin knew exactly how to respond. It was easy enough for Kenshin's sakabato to catch in the cracked blade with enough force to send the broken end flying and become imbedded in the floor.

"Sojiro! No!" Yumi ran to the prone figure in the middle of the room. She cradled his head in her lap trying to blink back tears. For once, the boy wasn't smiling. "Are you alight?"

"It seems that Mr. Himura is right and Shishio's law is wrong."

"Right and wrong can't be settled in a duel. I'm here to protect Japan from tyranny. Why are you here?" Kenshin and Sano left Yumi behind as she treated Sojiro's right shoulder.

Sojiro leaned against the wall holding his bandaged arm against his abdomen. "I'm leaving Miss Yumi."

"Everyone they've fought against has turned away from Makoto, but for you maybe it is better to leave." Battosai was truly a dangerous enemy, but if Sojiro could drop his mask someday and become more than an empty shell then it was worth a lost duel. She watched Sojiro walk out the door with only his clothes and an old training sword. Yumi no longer expected anyone to return; with only Hoji and herself by Mokoto's side it will be a long road back to where they were last night.

* * *

Shishio Mokoto relaxed on his over-stuffed cushion waiting for Hoji to finish translating a Morse code message. He was surprised to see Yumi entering his chamber already; Sojiro must've defeated Battosai. He smiled at the first bit of good news and welcomed her as she curled herself at his left side. His smile faltered when he noticed her expression. "What is it, Yumi? How did the duels end?"

"Anji fought against Battosai's tag-a-long friend as you planned, but their duel turned into a conversation. We left Saito Hajime to face Usui alone and I haven't seen either one of them since. Battosai defeated Aoshi then broke Sojiro's blade. The boy chose to begin a journey wandering around the countryside."

The Bright King's departure didn't really concern him; he was too compassionate, too weak. It was safe to assume Blind Sword was dead; he wasn't good enough to face the Wolf of Mibu. Sojiro's departure however, left him at a loss. The boy had been his apprentice for a decade after he'd rescued him from a brutal death and taught him everything he knew. After crossing swords with Battosai twice the boy was following in his footsteps. That betrayal was worse than losing the Rengoku.

"Shishio-sama, Henya was beaten by a boy, Kamatari lost to a woman. Iwanbo injured five members of the Oniwabanshu, but abandoned the fight and ran-off. Fuji left after they all attacked at once and Cho still hasn't managed to escape from the jail." Hoji knew it would take at least ten years to recover from these past two nights.

"I will defeat Battosai myself. Hoji come assist with my preparations. Yumi, go find Battosai and lead him to the walled courtyard by five o'clock."

* * *

"Hold on, you're bleeding again." Sano motioned for the red-head to remove his gi.

"How bad is it?" Kenshin moved his tail to the side.

"Wicked." There was no effective way to close the cut across his shoulder blades. Every time Kenshin raised his arms it re-opened and if he swung his sakabato the added weight combined with the motion may make the skin tear further. "You need to shorten your fight with Shishio."

"He has no honor." Kenshin winced as Sano re-wrapped the cloth strips. "Guns may be involved. Yumi hasn't shown up yet so she's probably telling him what she's seen of Hiten." Kenshin watched Sano remove the outer layer of binding from his left wrist and abdomen. "Are we out of bandages and ointment?"

"Yeah, that was the last of it. Maybe you shouldn't put that back on."

His gi was shredded and bloody; it didn't even make a good rag at this point. Kenshin reluctantly handed it to Sano although he was decidedly uncomfortable exposing his bandaged torso. "He may also have some type of western metal armor since he also has their weapons. There will be no way to make him turn from his vengeance; he expected to be given a position of great power for his years of service, not to be murdered as part of a cover-up." The extra layers of bandaging felt heavy on his open wounds.

"Are you concerned about breaking your vow?"

"I told Captain Katsura that I will never kill again, however the original condition was a true era of peace." Kenshin unsheathed Shakku's last blade and swiveled the hilt locking it in the traditional position for a sword.

Sano was not comforted by his answer.

Yumi put her hand on the solid oak door hesitating to open it. Battosai and his friend were right behind her ready to face Mokoto. He was exhausted and severely injured, how was he still standing? Didn't he realize he was only facing Mokoto because all his men were gone? His severe burns prevented Mokoto from exerting himself for more than fifteen minutes, yet Battosai was obviously accustomed to long battles. "I will tell him that after beating Shojiro you decided to go help your friends if you promise to let him be."

Kenshin shook his head in response "Apparently my help isn't needed at the Aoi-Ya." He wasn't shirking his duty. As a dojo master and daughter of a warrior she understood that.

Yumi walked toward the other side and Mokoto met her half way. "Koto-sama, please take care."

Shishio kissed her tenderly "It's only fifteen minutes love, stay by Hoji."

Kenshin studied the figure completely wrapped in bandages. A cloak was draped over his left side, he wore a katana and metal gauntlets. There was a cloth strip wrapped around his head that seemed separate from the bandaging, similar to Sano's headband, but much thicker. The cloak was an obvious place to conceal whatever Shishio wanted to hide, but the pieces of western armor were more out of place.

Shishio's attempt at intimidation and posturing were ignored as Kenshin contemplated his vulnerability under layers of cloth strips. The main focus was removing the bandages and exposing Shishio's weakness while trying not to get the sakabato bloody. Kenshin didn't have to wait long for the first move, when their blades met he noticed that Shishio's glistened and suddenly it was flaming. He ducked to the left as the edge made contact with his right shoulder.

Kenshin inspected the damage done to his bandage with his left hand. The blade didn't make contact with his flesh, but he could tell by the way the cloth was cut that the edge of Shishio's sword was serrated. The metal blade had glistened like it was highly polished, or wet. There was something on the blade that made it burn. The torches on the wall made it clear that Shishio's blade was oiled. The friction from their blades sparked the oil making it flame. The serrated edge on his blade was actually more dangerous because bits of rotting flesh from previous use will infect his wounds.

A metal gauntlet blocked Kenshin's strike and his blade was forced parallel, sandwiched between him and Shishio as the taller man quickly moved into Kenshin's zone to bite his uncovered left shoulder. Teeth tore at his flesh as Kenshin forced his sakabato against Shishio's chest with his left hand. Searing pain clouded his mind and his hands made a rocking motion with the sharp edge cutting through the layers of bandages before Shishio released him.

Kenshin dropped to his knees. It was difficult to resist the urge to cover the gaping hole with his hand, but the last thing he wanted was a wet sticky hand when he needed a good grip on his hilt. He took a ragged breath. He blocked out Shishio's voice and took another deep breath watching him sheath his sword apparently to re-coat it with oil. Kenshin rose to his feet again still taking deep breathes to make his mind forget pain. Blood trickled down his left arm, but he kept the bandaged hand firmly around the hilt allowing it to drip off the back of his hand. There was something about the gauntlet that Shishio used to hold his head while he bit him. Kenshin tried to clear his head as Shishio drew his katana and scraped the tip across the end of his metal sheath igniting the blade again.

"…your name will live on in the history that I make!" Shishio gripped his flaming katana in his left hand and lunged at Kenshin's right shoulder again.

Kenshin blocked the blade with the back of his right hand and hot oil began to drip down his arm. "You will have no history." His own left-handed thrust removed the remaining bandages leaving Shishio's gut unprotected. The man was too slow to block his sakabato with his gauntlet this time, but he managed to grab Kenshin's neck. The secret to the metal gloves finally dawned on Kenshin. He twisted toward the flaming katana to get out of Shishio's grasp, however his enemy quickly brought both hands together igniting his gunpowder covered gauntlets with the flaming sword.

Sano watched Kenshin land in a crumpled heap. The gunpowder burned his back and scorched his hair. It wasn't until a sword went flying past Shishio's head that he realized Saito and Aoshi had shown up at some point. Saito's Flying Gatotsu missed when his target turned suddenly, but the Wolf didn't miss a beat and instantly attacked with another thrust. His second attack exposed the cloth covered piece of metal Shishio wore around his head, but Saito was struck across his thighs re-opening the wounds Usui gave him. A third Gatotsu sunk into Shishio's right shoulder before he, in turn struck Saito's right side leaving the Wolf of Mibu on the ground.

In contrast to Saito's quick attack, Aoshi walked up to Shishio and unsheathed both kodachi waiting for him to make the first move. The responsibility to defeat Shishio fell to Battosai; Aoshi was just making sure Shishio got no rest until he was back on his feet.

Shishio was angry over their broken alliance; Aoshi's skill would've been useful, yet the weak fool didn't have the courage to follow the path that lead to glory. Aoshi began his Dance of the Wheeling Sword, but was too slow. Shishio easily blocked the sword in Aoshi's right hand only to have his own right arm cut deeply by Aoshi's other blade. He smirked at the man who gave up being a warlord, reduced to merely defending himself. What was the point? Shishio's smirk faded as his next two blows were dodged and blocked.

Kenshin climbed to his feet and Aoshi stepped back. His new comrades were concerned about his vow not to kill, although he didn't think it applied to Shishio. His sakabato wasn't stained with blood yet so they'd be satisfied with that. Not letting Shishio have a moment to rest and cool off along with removing his bandages might be sufficient to kill him, yet keep the sakabato clean.

Shishio switched hands leaving the remaining gauntlet on his left hand in a bad position; Kenshin hit the serrated blade with his hilt igniting the gunpowder burning his exposed chest badly. Kenshin was caught by the very edge of the blast leaving him ready to attack again before Shishio defended himself.

He struck Shishio's right shoulder with his Dragon Hammer cutting through the cloth bandages, a Dragon Flight hit under Shishio's chin snapping his head back as the blade carved into his jaw, a Dragon's Nest left shallow cuts across his abdomen and Soryusen slashed his left shoulder leaving his torso completely exposed.

The bandaging on both arms was unraveling. Shishio quickly lit his blade again and struck across Battosai's abdomen. If he'd struck across his left shoulder or the same spot across his right shoulder there wouldn't have been any extra bandaging to protect him, but Shishio chose the wrong spot and didn't cut deep enough. Kenshin instantly responded with Hiko's Nine Headed Dragon.

Kenshin tried to use the Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki too injured and exhausted to follow through, yet Shishio began fell to his knees anyway. Yumi ran to block Mokoto with her body knowing he was safe as long as she was between them.

Remembering that Shishio was his opposite he took a step back to see what the man did about her. Shishio's blade went right through Yumi's left lung and heart; it would have been fatal to Kenshin if he'd been slower to step out of range.

Kenshin was shocked watching Shishio murder his love. He heard Yumi whisper something to Shishio as she caressed his face. Shishio whispered "Wait for me" in response while she died in his arms. It was too familiar to Tomoe whispering "Its better this way" as she bled to death while he held her.

Shishio pulled his blade from Yumi's limp body quickly sheathing it then ignited his sword for the last time catching fire to the remaining bandages on his arm so they'd spread to his cloak. Kenshin could only watch from unsteady feet as Shishio fell over Yumi becoming a funeral pyre for them both. Out of the corner of his eye Kenshin noticed Sano stoop to pick up the broken pocket watch then they both stared as the flickering orange flames grew hotter.

Kenshin silently wondered how murder-suicide was the best option. Dying to protect the one you love, murdering your love rather than be separated. Swords were designed to kill, however they ought to be used to protect – to give life. Swords that give life? Where did that come from? Oh right, Kamiya-Kasshin.


	9. Healing

After the ferry came to a stop Megumi picked up her travel bag and medicine box to meet Kaoru at the end of the dock. She didn't look at all worried; apparently the urgent message Megumi received wasn't so serious anymore.

"Why are you wearing that strange western dress?"

"It's the waitress uniform at the Shirobeko. We're all staying at Sae's restaurant for now so you will be sharing a room with Misao and me."

Kaoru filled her in on Sano's shattered hand then Yahiko's broken ankle and gunpowder burns, but barely started on Kenshin's bite, burns from hot oil, and multiple cuts before they got to the Shirobeko.

Okina wanted to hear about the battle in Shishio's lair again and brought out a jug of sake, not that Sano needed that much encouragement to talk. Omime, Masugami and Kaoru spent hours sewing Kenshin back together so they weren't as interested in the blow-by-blow details, unlike Misao who still hung on every word about Aoshi's fight. She wasn't so sure that Aoshi should still be considered a traitor since he sided with Kenshin and Saito against Shishio Mokoto.

The doctor noticed that Kaoru wasn't paying much attention to what Kenshin had gone through; she seemed more focused on serving beef bowls and tea. Did she think Ken was invincible? That he'd never get hurt no matter who attacked him? That weak little girl needed to grow up and support Ken or she'd lose him for sure. Megumi told Sano to take her to him as soon as she thought he was finished with his monologue.

He led her upstairs and leaned against the wall by the door while she set her medicine box next to Kenshin's futon and began unwrapping his arms. The careful stitching reassured her that someone had taken the time to reduce his scarring. She was puzzled that so much of her ointment covered the stitches. "It would've been much more helpful to use it right after he was injured than to wait until after the wounds were closed."

"We used up both jars by the time he faced Shishio. That's something Dr. Takani did after the women finished sewing on him."

"Who?" Megumi whirled around to face him.

"I figured he was the same Takani Shitago that gave a jar of salve to the little Miss since he looked sort of like you." Sano watched the shock settle on her for a full minute before the doctor shook it off and returned her patient. He frowned at the back of her head when she didn't ask any questions even though he didn't have any other information on the man to tell her anyway.

"Ken-san has a fever and his pulse is weak. Please bring me hot water and soap." She couldn't think about her brother now with Ken-san barely hanging on to life. Sano rolled his shoulders off the wall and headed to the kitchen

"I wish I could've watched you fight those guys." Yahiko grabbed a chunk of soap and some clean rags when Sano came into the kitchen and poured the last of the hot water into a bucket.

"No, it was good that you stayed with Missy to help Okina and Misao."

Yahiko followed Sano up the stairs; he was getting pretty good at hobbling around on a crutch. "Before I came here I thought I was doing good beating up some petty criminals who were harassing Tsubame. It's a whole nother story when you're fighting for your life. Henya murdered people by dropping dynamite on them – killing them with no more feeling than if you kill a bug. I had to use my copy of Kenshin's Ryutsuisen to take him down."

"Didn't Missy fight? She's the only one not injured." Sano set the bucket down to open the door.

"Kaoru and Misao went against Kamatari, a guy dressed in a kimono using a heavy blade with a cannonball attached by a chain as a counterweight. I only saw the end when his weapon was missing the heavy blade. Kaoru still had her handle which made them about even, but she broke it over his knee while he was trying to swing the chain around her neck. And if you think she isn't injured then you aren't paying attention to her." Yahiko let the soap drop to the floor after Sano set the bucket down by Kenshin's futon.

"You two better be quiet and show some respect. Ken-san is severely injured and he needs quiet to recover." Megumi came in followed by Kaoru carrying a tea tray.

"What are you two talking about?" Kaoru set the tray on the stool by the window.

"I was telling Sano why you don't have your father's bokken anymore."

"Kenshin's going to make it isn't he?" Kaoru didn't want to think about the loss of father's favorite bokken right now even if he would have been very proud of her.

Megumi felt his forehead and neck "Right now that will depend on his will to live." She sent them all out of the room before unwrapping the rest of Kenshin's wounds because he might not want them to see him like this and she had to find the source of his infection.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything else." Kaoru glanced at Kenshin's pale face as she closed the door. Kaoru heated water and washed dishes with her left hand to keep herself occupied with something that didn't require much use of her right arm. Kenshin might not make it so it didn't matter if it took five minutes to clean a plate. His survival depended on his will to live and while it was easy for her to assume Battosai's sense of duty that sent him to Kyoto to stop Shishio, Kaoru didn't want to assume he found a reason to live after waking up on her roof last May. She rinsed the plate and put it in the rack to dry before grabbing another from the stack. What if his memories returned while he was in Shishio's lair and it was truly Kenshin sleeping upstairs? Did he have a reason to remain in this world other than atoning for the lives he took? Several times during the months they were together he seemed to completely forget about atonement so maybe that was no longer a strong enough reason for him to want to live.

Megumi told Yahiko to remove his gi to take a look at his burns; they had been cleaned very carefully so there was really nothing for her to do but reapply ointment and change the bandage. Sano's hand however was a project. Megumi unwrapped the splints around his thumb to make sure the bones were aligned as well as possible before securing the two pieces of wood again and moving on to his index finger. After finishing with his pinky she ran a finger over the bones across the back of his hand although there was nothing else she could do since it wasn't swollen and the large yellowish green bruise seemed to be healing normally. "You are absolutely forbidden to do anything with your right hand. Is that clear, you idiot?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" Sano grinned at her "So do you want both jars back or not?" He watched her drop one in her pocket still clutching the other as she walked away "You're welcome."

* * *

After breakfast the next morning Okina and Misao headed over to the Aoi-Ya with Shijoro and Kurojo. Shirojo hired a cart and horse to haul away everything that wasn't salvageable while Kurojo and his friends were going to finish tearing down what was left of the inn. Okina and Misao left the two men behind when they saw Police Lieutenant Fujita lighting a cigarette across the street. He turned down a side street and the two of them hurried to catch up with him to find out if he knew what happened to Aoshi.

Misao saw him enter the temple and looked at Okina puzzled. He shrugged and they followed the stern policeman to a mediation alcove.

"Hoji set fire to the armory and the resulting explosions left the lair in ruble." Aoshi didn't move from his Zen position.

"He turned himself in, but won't say a word other than ranting about Shishio."

"Then we only have what we took from Iwanbo's room."

"From what Cho told me about the rest of Shishio's Ten Swords he's the only link to the Chinese arms dealer, but there hasn't been another sighting of Iwanbo in the whole prefecture." Saito rolled an unlit cigarette in his fingers.

"What do you two want to know about Iwanbo?" Okina and Misao stepped into sight. "I'd like to know why his skin can't be cut."

"What do you mean?"

"Not one of our shuriken so much as bruised him and my tonfa didn't cut him. He stepped back after injuring us instead of continuing the fight, which was also puzzling."

"He wasn't there to fight?"

"He wore metal blades on his fingers, two swings and four of us were seriously injured. But instead of pressing the attack, he stepped back to watch Miss Kaoru and Misao fight Kamatari."

"His skin can't be cut, he swings his arms faster than a ninja moves, and he doesn't follow Shishio's orders." Saito turned toward Misao, "Why would he watch your fight?"

"After I used the last of my daggers I had to step back and that's when I noticed that Iwanbo was only watching Kaoru-san."

"But he didn't attack her?"

"No. He headed north across the rooftops as soon as Kamatari was defeated."

"Why was he interested in the raccoon-girl? She's barely a threat to pickpockets and has no connections to anyone except Himura. And he isn't even a threat to a Chinese arms dealer that has Gatling guns, Armstrong cannons and ironclads at their disposal."

"If an attack has no strategic value it isn't logical, it's personal." Everyone turned to stare at Misao.

Saito snorted "They haven't done their homework. Our business is done." He nodded at Aoshi and went back to the police station.

"It's good to see you well Aoshi-sama. We're staying at the Shirobeko until we rebuild the Aoi-Ya. It's been pretty much destroyed and now we need to get back and help Shirojo and Kurojo clear out the debris so we can get busy re-building. I'll see you later."

Misao wondered about Saito and Aoshi for some time before asking Okina's opinion about the possibility that the former Okashira may have been secretly working with Saito, perhaps not being a traitor at all.

* * *

Kaoru waited for Megumi to fall asleep before taking buckets of hot water, soap and rags to Kenshin's room. It was easier to do this when the sun was up, but as long as the doctor kept everyone away she'd continue to sneak around every night giving him a sponge bath and occasionally washing his hair.

She had enough practice by now to easily rinse his long auburn hair and wrap it in a towel without getting his bandages wet. Kaoru gently washed his face which wasn't feverish anymore then rolled him onto his right side to change the blanket under him.

Kaoru untangle his hair with her own comb. She had looked through his travel kit the first time she washed his hair and had found her old blue ribbon wrapped around a worn toy top next to his sword repair kit. The only comb she found was obviously a woman's which she spitefully tucked behind her hair ribbon.

Her dirty wet kimono was replaced by a clean dry yukata before she made yet another trip downstairs with all the dirty laundry and buckets. She poured some of the hot water from the pot on the back of the stove into a kettle then poured more water into the pot and grabbed Megumi's tea leaves before heading back upstairs. Continuously heating water was beginning to seem normal.

Pain. Itching, burning pain. It was dark, but he didn't care about that. He was perfectly capable of surviving without light. But every single one of his injuries screamed in agony. A warm soft cloth rubbing his face had given him a little respite. Even having his hair pulled slightly as something hard stroking his scalp gave his mind something else to think about, but now he was immersed in aching, stinging torment.

A callused hand cupped his cheek trying to get his

mouth open. Kenshin gritted his teeth until something warm and moist brushed across his lips. The hand returned to his chin and warm liquid trickled into his mouth. He swallowed involuntarily and the hand disappeared only to return again as more warmth trickled into his mouth, but the pain subsided which was all he cared about before losing consciousness.

The only thought that kept running through her head was that Kenshin gritted his teeth so he was going to heal just fine. The words 'he's going to make it' were running, skipping and bouncing around her mind like a happy Misao. So what if her right arm was sore, Kenshin was going to be alright!

* * *

Megumi and Misao woke before Kaoru as usual. The doctor checked on Kenshin, propping him on his side with his left hand in a bowl of warm water and another bowl against his hip, then went downstairs to breakfast.

Sae was passing around bowls of rice when Sano turned to reach for his and saw Kaoru entering the dining room "You're up already?"

She joined them thanking Sae for breakfast "Kenshin is going to be just fine so I'm going to the clinic after breakfast. Does anyone want to come with me?"

The doctor nodded "Yes, but I will check on Ken-san first though."

Kaoru and Sano weren't surprised by her response; they expected her to mention visiting her brother yesterday.

Megumi went upstairs to settle Kenshin on his back and take the two bowls. Her best kimono was left behind in Tokyo along with several other things she could have used to make a better first impression, but since they weren't going to Shitago's house for tea it didn't matter. He might not even know she was here since Sano and Kaoru never mentioned telling him about her. A block from the Aoi-Ya Megumi finally calmed her nerves enough to pay attention to what the younger girl was saying.

"…and then everything happened so fast that they left to attack Shishio Mokoto before I had a chance to speak to Sano about it. It was almost mid-morning by the time those two showed up and Kenshin was…they used almost two full jars of salve on him and he was still…and it took so long to clean out every single cut while Omime and Masugami stitched. I'm sorry I completely forgot about your brother when I wrote to you."

"Knowing that my brother is well and practicing medicine here was enough."

Megumi stood there staring at a man who looked so much like father with mother's eyes. The fringe covering his forehead wasn't as thick as she remembered, yet it looked good on him. "Shitago?"

He crossed the floor in long strides "Little Megumi, it's really you." Shitago wrapped his arms around her squeezing hard. "When I went back after the Boshin war ended I learned we didn't leave you in a safe place after all."

"What happened to mother and older brother?" She stepped back as he dropped his arms.

"I don't know. We were separated on the battlefield toward the end and their bodies weren't found so they must have survived, but I didn't find either of them."

"So how did you end up here in Kyoto?"

"There was an old doctor that I met while searching for mother. He wanted me to be his assistant if I didn't find my family so after several months without a single clue where else to look for them I agreed. He had family here so we moved two years ago then he died last winter so the clinic is mine now."

A tall stoic man familiar to Megumi entered the clinic interrupting their reunion. "Shinomori Aoshi."

"Takani Megumi." He returned her terse greeting. "I have some strange pastes and packets of herbs for you to examine. Tell me what they're commonly used for."

She narrowed her eyes as she took the bucket from him, yet said nothing else recalling Sano's description of his fight with Kenshin. Perhaps this enemy was becoming an ally; Kenshin did have that habit after all.

Fifteen minutes later Kaoru said good-bye to Kamatari and found the two siblings sitting at the examination table with dried bits of various plants spread out between them. However, their conversation was about family members and childhood memories so Kaoru left quietly. Shitago would make sure Megumi found her way back to the Aoi-Ya safely.

* * *

It was a warm, sunny day so the window was cracked open to air out the room. Kaoru put soap and water within easy reach before leaving with the bowl that Megumi put by his hip. The brief moments that he was lucid enough to swallow soup weren't as disorienting, however it was still difficult to move so the water was cool by the time he finished washing then dried off with a towel. Megumi re-bandaged the slash across his chest then forced him to drink more tea causing him to pass out.

Kaoru came in later with a basket of mending and sat between Megumi's medicine box and the window where she had a good view of his peaceful sleeping face.

"Figures, Aoshi-sama's at the shrine and you're in here. Himura-san looks a lot better now, doesn't he? Are you going to start training again now that your arm is healed? You still have your shinai, don't you? Anyway, we decided to build a meditation room on the other side of the garden. If Aoshi-sama starts using it instead of staying at the shrine, how do I get him to talk to me? What's the best way to get him to notice me?"

"Wouldn't Omime and Megumi be the ones to ask about men?" Kaoru looked up from the patch she was sewing into Yahiko's hakama.

"Omime's too busy helping Sae so I can't get her to talk to me at all and there's no way I'm imitating Megumi. I can't understand half of what she says and Sano doesn't seem that impressed anyway. I don't think anything they do will get Aoshi-sama to smile at me the way he used to. So what did you do to get Himura-san to notice you?"

"Kenshin and I are only friends."

"Being friends is better than being ignored. Are you learning to sew because trying to cook didn't work? Should I learn how to cook and sew? When I first left to go find Aoshi-sama Omime told me that I might be too young for him. Do you think that's why he's not interested? Yahiko said that Himura-san is twenty-eight so you two are even further apart."

"Kamatari wasn't able to please Shishio in any way no matter how feminine he tried to look or how hard he trained, yet he stayed by his side for years grasping for crumbs of attention. He took Shishio's death very hard. First you have to decide how far you're willing to change to get his attention and then decide what you are going to do if you cannot be with him."

"How long were you talking with that weird man the other day? I just want to get Aoshi-sama to realize that I am still alive and care about him. Don't you have any advice to get him out of his shell at all?"

"You've told him about the meditation room so wait for him to make a move. If he goes to the Aoi-Ya then he's choosing to be closer to you. Watch to see when he comes and goes so you can greet him. Then maybe leave a tray of tea for him or mention some current news that might interest him."

"Thanks for the advice Kaoru!" Misao closed the door loudly.

Kaoru murmured to the pants in her hands "Hopefully she will get him to see there is more he can do with his life than hide in old painful memories." Then turned to the sleeping red-head. "Then I can ask her advice on getting you to smile."

* * *

Saito ground out the butt of his cigarette when Aoshi entered his office "I take it that those packets contained something interesting."

"I haven't been able to figure out why Iwanbo was preserving meat without drying it." The stoic former Okashira handed two well-organized and neatly written lists to the humorless Lieutenant along with the remaining paper wrapped herbs. "Neither of the doctors were familiar with the paste that only seems useful in making skin soft and kept most of it to try creating more."

"That seems more useless than interesting." Saito looked at the lists thinking that a cook or a woman had more use for the stuff than someone who was supposed to be one of Shishio's Ten Swords.

Aoshi had no further business with the curt policeman and since his time was now his own again he decided to visit the new mediation room at the Aoi-Ya.


	10. The Road Home

Kenshin opened his eyes slowly not sensing anyone in the hallway. A tray with two bowls and a towel was on the stool by the door waiting to be returned to the kitchen. No one was in the hallway as he slowly shuffled his way downstairs. He heard music and singing coming from the dining room as he paused to stare at the calendar hanging on the wall; August 6th, over two months since he left Tokyo.

He turned to see Kaoru standing there with an empty serving tray. Her wide-eyed surprise quickly became a delighted grin just like in Sae's backyard.

"Are you hungry?"

"A little rice will do. The party in the dining room is loud."

"Okina is doing a victory dance on one of the tables because they've finished rebuilding the Aoi-Ya." Kaoru grabbed two sea-weed wrapped onigiri from another tray on the counter "Do you want to join everyone in the dining room or sit on the back porch?"

"The porch might be a little quieter." Kenshin took one of the rice balls "Or at least a little more private."

Kaoru grabbed a tea kettle and two cups as she passed the stove then followed him to the back steps sitting a comfortable distance away with the kettle between them. "I'm glad we're doing this again."

"Doing what?" He took the cup of tea she offered.

"Sitting on the porch steps sipping tea and watching the sunset while we talk about our day and maybe make plans for tomorrow."

He glanced up at the sun to see that it was barely after noon "Right."

"I admit I did most of the talking, but it was nice anyway."

Kenshin looked at her with a blank expression not knowing how to respond to that statement. She seemed content to look at Sae's herb garden rather than continue her conversation so he took a sip and leaned against the railing post enjoying the muted music from the dining room.

"Tomorrow I'm buying train tickets for us because I want to make sure Yutaro hasn't been slacking off since we've been gone." Kaoru spoke quietly "I also have something else to add to father's book." She took another sip of tea waiting for him to say something.

"I wouldn't have ever come back to Kyoto if Shishio Makoto hadn't picked Mt Hiei for his hideout. I'm ready to leave now."

She turned her head, yet didn't meet his eyes "Do you really want to go back to Tokyo with us? I won't force you to stay again."

"How did you force me?"

"I tried making you feel like you owed it to me to stay and help out around the dojo. You were still intent on going so I demanded to know your name to stall you at least." Kaoru starred at the cup in her hands knowing by his chi that he was as angry as she'd expected him to be. He kept saying 'this one is currently imposing upon the Kamiya dojo' so she knew he really didn't want to stay.

Kenshin put his empty cup next to the kettle wondering why she seemed to stop halfway through her answer, not that it really mattered. Whatever leverage she used to make him move in was probably as flimsy as the hair ribbon she shoved at him demanding he return it after facing Kurogasa.

* * *

The Oniwabanshu moved back to the Aoi-Ya, yet now Kenshin had to share a room with Sano and Yahiko; which might have been better if they didn't snore quite so loudly. He closed the door behind him and went downstairs to find a small bucket and ladle then took a few flowers growing against the fence. The sky was overcast, yet not enough to deter him. He expected Tomoe's engraved stone to have suffered at least a year of neglect and take some effort to clean, however there were no weeds and little dust, yet he poured water over her marker anyway before setting the blossoms in front of it.

A few drops landed in the dirt drawing his attention to a light drizzle which he ignored for a few more minutes running his fingers over the last name. There was a family tomb close by enclosed on two sides to provide some shelter and as Kenshin approached he noticed a book in the corner he planned to lean against while waiting for the weather to clear. It was Tomoe's diary. He left her behind.

The day after she died he noticed it next to her comb and perfume, opened to the page where she wrote about Akira's death. Kenshin wasn't thinking beyond his grief then, although looking back now he wondered why she was thinking about her previous fiancé when she already had a husband who wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He began reading hoping for answers to all the questions he had about his wife.

The rain stopped by the time Kenshin returned the book to its corner leaving Himura Tomoe behind with her childhood sweetheart. She gave herself away to get Kenshin killed then felt like she betrayed Akira by falling in love with his murderer. He stretched before heading back to the Shirobeko regretting that he hadn't known how she felt before her brother Enishi came to visit. But it was far too late to do anything except let her go.

"Has anyone seen Kenshin?" Kaoru came into the kitchen with his untouched lunch tray.

"I saw him outside early this morning when I went to the bathhouse. He had the little bucket and was picking a few flowers so I thought he wanted to visit his fallen comrades." Sae looked up from the sauce she was stirring.

"We're leaving after breakfast tomorrow so you're probably right." Kaoru set the tray on the counter and entered the dining room to begin her lunch shift.

Two hours later Megumi stopped Sano and Yahiko as they came in the front door. "Where have you been? Isn't Ken-san with you?"

"We went up to Mt Hiei to see what was left of the temple. Kenshin was already gone by the time we woke up so we haven't seen him. The little Miss probably knows where he is."

Kaoru put the last bowl on the rack to dry then wiped off her hands "Sae, where's the cemetery?"

"Do you really think he's still there?" Sae paused while slicing ginger root.

"Either that or he's been arrested for violating the Sword Banning Act." She untied her apron.

"He's barely healed! If he's running around jumping from rooftops to avoid the police when you find him then I'll sedate him until next Tuesday" Megumi fumed.

An hour and a half later Kaoru came back ignoring Sae's greeting as she hurried up the stairs and ran into Yahiko.

"What's the rush, Ugly?"

"Yahiko, is Kenshin's travel pack in your room?"

"Why do you need his pack?" The boy opened the bedroom door to reveal two futons spread across the floor that still looked like two guys had just crawled out of them. The third futon was rolled up against the far wall with a neatly folded blanket and fluffed pillow on top. There was no woven bamboo case or bedroll.

Sano leaned his left shoulder against the door frame "Maybe he didn't want to take the train back."

Kaoru stood in the middle of the room "Yesterday while we were having tea on the back steps I told him I was buying the tickets today. I said he didn't have to come with us if he didn't really want to, I wasn't going to try to force him." She gripped her kimono "Do you think I made him feel unwelcome?"

Yahiko rolled his eyes "Battosai ate your cooking with a straight face. You've got nothing to worry about."

"But he hasn't come back yet and it's getting late."

* * *

Kenshin followed the river downstream staying far enough away from the road to catch roving bands of thieves before they attacked someone, yet hopefully close enough to protect anyone caught by them if they were hiding on the other side. Sojiro's statement that he had needed Kenshin bothered him more now than during their fight. It reminded him that people might still be suffering, not from the burden of the government, but from village heads and family members. It isn't possible to visit every town and village, but maybe he could protect women and children from thieves and slavers.

He took the road north toward the mountains around the southern tip of Biwa Lake to make sure that area was safe then he'd move on to Mt Ryozen. It was calming to walk through the countryside alone enjoying the peaceful sounds of nature as it got later and there were fewer people traveling. Toward sunset he found a good spot for a campfire near a copse of trees and set about the task of finding wood. Tomorrow he'd hunt for rabbit, tonight he was satisfied with the two onigiri tied in a cloth taken from Sae's kitchen hours ago. Kenshin wrapped the old blanket around his back and leaned against the trunk of a cypress watching the flames flickering in the dark.

Knowing that he was more than welcome in the Kamiya dojo didn't mean he belonged there. Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko shared his conviction about protecting the weak; however there was no blood on their hands. Their purpose was to defeat and conquer while his was to kill – not quick and clean like he used to do as a hitokiri, either. She wouldn't have been so quick to invite him back if she knew the damage gunpowder burns did to the shallow cuts on Shishio's exposed flesh. Why didn't Sano tell her?

* * *

Sano scanned the crowded train platform searching for a glimpse of red. Megumi moved next to him "Ken-san is coming back with us, isn't he?" "No," Kaoru looked up from her clasped hands "I made him too angry. He isn't here."

"When was he ever upset about anything you said or did?" Megumi picked up her medicine box to board the train.

Kaoru was surprised by that response. What happened to the woman who enjoyed making her seem childish in front of Kenshin? Why didn't she make some comment about him not wanting a sweaty little girl or her inability to cook as she usually did?

"He was definitely mad" Sano rubbed his chin under a new fishbone "but that's got nothing to do with him not being here." He followed Megumi up the three steps giving the conductor his ticket.

"You pissed off Battosai?" Yahiko jeered from the bottom step "Only a fat ugly girl like you is that stupid."

"I'll show you stupid Yahiko-chan!" Kaoru forgot about making one last trip around the station to search for Kenshin as she chased that little brat down the center aisle.

The train went up through the mountains near Otsu and around the eastern side of Biwa Lake then headed toward Ise Bay where it ran along the eastern coast to Yokohama. Kaoru tried to enjoy the beautiful scenery flying by since Sano and Yahiko seemed confident that Kenshin wasn't gone for good. Still, it would have been nice to share this with him and see his shy smile again.

* * *

Kenshin woke feeling stiff and sore as a reminder that he was almost thirty and used to sleeping on a futon, not sitting against a tree. After covering the embers of his fire he followed the road into the mountains. He passed an old man with a basket of herbs and a few other travelers, but no thieves. As the sun grew hotter there were more people riding horses than walking so Kenshin decided to travel through the woods to catch any bandits that might be setting up an ambush. A pebble lodged in his sandal and he thought of Ayame and Suzume when he paused to get it out; they would have had fun looking for flowers and butterflies around here.

Later in the afternoon Kenshin wandered away from the road in search of a shallow creek he remembered in the area. By the time he heard trickling water he was getting hungry and considered hunting for his dinner as he knelt for a drink. It was a good spot for fish however his pole was in Tokyo leaving him with only the string from his top. Kenshin didn't want to take it apart again because last time he used the string for fishing it was difficult to put the old toy back together.

Perhaps he should have taken Yahiko with him a couple of times when he took his fishing pole to the river. The boy had a good head on his shoulders, yet he was beginning an awkward age and had an obstinate nature. Kaoru was a good mixture of training master and older sister which might be enough to keep him from making regrettable mistakes, but maybe it would have been easier for her if Kenshin did more than share meals with him.

A flash caught his attention as Kenshin went around a shrub on the hillside. An odd gleam of light through the saplings made him change direction because someone might be signaling for help. As he came closer he saw that the sun was reflecting off of steel bars running parallel as far as they eye could see both ways so he picked a direction and started walking.

* * *

"Sano, how do you know Kenshin was angry? Did he tell you why he wasn't taking the train with us?" Kaoru wasn't concerned about Kenshin discussing his plans with his best friend; she was very worried about the reason why he didn't tell her.

He moved the fish bone to the other side of his mouth giving him a moment to think about that before he replied "He told me why he was angry a few days before he left Tokyo and it was obvious why he was mad after I disabled the Rengoku, but I can't imagine Kenshin or Battosai so much as raising his voice at you."

"Oh no, he set his cup next to the kettle as calmly as ever. I felt his chi grow into a rage as we talked even though he gave no outward indication that he didn't want me there." Kaoru dropped her eyes to the side "I left with the kettle after our first cup."

"I don't know whether it was better for you to leave right away or sit there for an hour drinking the whole pot like you used to" Sano turned his gaze from the sad girl by the window to the tall graceful woman sitting across from him "I can tell you that he's like most men who don't like the person they care about to be in a dangerous situation."

Megumi contemplated the man sprawled across more than his half of the bench seat remembering the night he and Ken-san rescued her from Kanryu. Was that the reason Sano was the one to grab the short blade out of her hand while Ken-san stayed by the door not moving a muscle to stop her?

"Who was in a dangerous situation yesterday afternoon?" Kaoru was sure everyone they knew was safe and didn't understand why Sano rolled his eyes at her.

"My brother told me that quite a few men developed more irate personalities after the worst battles especially if they were young. It's said that Battosai began killing at fourteen or fifteen and perhaps he was feeling this same general anger because of memories that surfaced from being in Kyoto."

"Kenshin said he was ready to leave so maybe getting out of Kyoto quickly was more important to him than I thought." Kaoru stared out the window hoping that it didn't take him a decade to get from Kyoto to Tokyo this time.

The train station was more crowded than Kenshin expected. He walked around the steam engine amazed by the size then walked down the length of passenger cars on the opposite side from the platform to get a closer view of a train without wasting money on a ticket. He stopped and took two steps back to the gap between two cars getting a second look at a couple of passengers waiting to board.

A tall man with three metal spikes curving around each shoulder and the cloaked figure next to him seemed oddly familiar and it took several minutes before Kenshin realized the cloaked man was one of the enemies he faced the night Tomoe died. Those two were the ones that he found on the roof last May.

The caboose was designed with a small fenced porch at the back which made it very easy for Kenshin to climb up the three metal steps then balance on the short fence to hoist himself onto the roof. He stayed low to keep from being seen as he watched the two reach the head of the line and board the train then settled into a comfortable position to wait out their journey. When the pair got off at the station in Yokohama around dusk, Kenshin quietly climbed down from the caboose and started running.


	11. Not the Beginning

Tae and Tsubame stayed at the dojo to make sure no one like the Hiruma brothers tried to move in and Doctor Gensai brought his granddaughters to visit at least once a week. Ayame and Suzume liked playing with Tsubame while their grandfather and Tae discussed the latest letters from Kaoru and Sae. Tae was disappointed that Kenshin didn't come back with them "Oh Kaoru, you poor thing, and the two of you were doing so well last spring. Since he's a wanderer maybe he'll show up again."

"Our relationship isn't like that." Kaoru frowned as the two women ignored her to begin cooking a welcome back feast. Sano went to get sake and came back with two jugs and Tsunan so it was almost midnight before anyone fell asleep.

After Breakfast Kaoru sent Yahiko to tell Yutaro that training will resume tomorrow then set about cleaning the kitchen. She was standing at the sink washing the set of sake saucers and reminiscing about the last party with Tae and Tsunan when Kenshin got tipsy enough to laugh with her.

Sano strolled into the kitchen "Hey Missy, we're taking off now."

"Will you be back for dinner?"

"I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea by coming here while he's gone, but I'll check in on you."

"Oh." Kaoru watched her friends cross the yard and returned their casual good-byes as Sano closed the gate.

She didn't expect Yahiko to return for a few hours at least so she had most of the afternoon to wash their sheets. Hopefully it was warm enough for them to dry before dark. She heated water for the wash tub and began scrubbing trying not to think about his long fire red hair or the long diagonal scar across his chest that was usually fully exposed by the time he began rinsing. Kaoru wondered if the two cuts on his face were from failed attempts to behead him. No doubt he didn't want to be in Kyoto. Why didn't she listen to Kenshin when he said he was ready to leave?

Once Kaoru finished draping everything over the bamboo drying rack she decided to practice her father's most difficult katas as a way to take her mind off her missing friend. Were they still friends? Did he think of her as a friend or as a landlady? What did her old hair ribbon really mean to him? This wasn't working. Meditation? Yeah, right. Kaoru stalked back to the kitchen, his primary domain, and grabbed the sack of rice to work on her upper body strength. Her father used to use this as a punishment when she was younger, but lifting the weight was sure to drive him from her head eventually.

Yahiko came back with a nasty bruise on his upper right arm; Yutaro spent the summer perfecting the katas that Kaoru taught him. He had no intention of telling Kaoru about the fight and thought he hid it well until she narrowed her eyes at him from across the dinner table.

"What did you learn from it?"

She was using her sensai tone of voice so he answered seriously "Don't take someone with less experience too lightly."

"And?"

"And they will resort to using tricks and ranged weapons if they have no honor or ability."

"You aren't speaking of Yutaro are you?" She thought he already learned those lessons.

"That turd may have taken my right arm, but I took his shoulder first."

Kaoru let the subject drop since he didn't want to talk about what was really bothering him. Kenshin or Sano might be better able to help him work through his current problem anyway, if either of them showed up tomorrow.

* * *

Kenshin ran around the steam engine and made it to a roof without being seen; trailing the silent pair to an inn was easy. Once inside the cloak and mask were cast aside revealing a heavily muscled man wearing some sort of armor plating on his forearms. The sleeves of his green splotched gi were cut off and his identically green splotched hakama were tucked into black western style boots. Kenshin didn't recall his face or chi at all. They paid for separate rooms leaving him to wonder who had been under the cloak last May. He regretted paying too much attention to the known enemy and not nearly enough to the unknown. It didn't make him feel any better to learn that the ride to Shinbashi Station in Tokyo was less than an hour according to the schedule posted at the station.

* * *

They were both sleeping peacefully; she was curled on her right side and he was splayed across his futon. Kenshin padded quietly back to the kitchen and strung the rope over the two hooks above the stove while waiting for a pot of water to heat. Scrubbing his clothes by moonlight was a little awkward, yet he wasn't going to wait until morning and have Kaoru see him in only a loincloth.

He rubbed the chunk of soap across the wet material thinking about the time he and Kaoru were admiring ink landscapes at the art dealer and Sano came by to purchase portraits for Tae and Tsubame. His spirit was no longer twisted and he was a good man to have by your side in a tight spot. Kenshin was going to stop by his long house and ask him to make a trip to Yokohama with him since he wasn't staying here.

After hanging his wet clothes above the stove to dry Kenshin carried the remaining hot water to the bathhouse and began scrubbing away days of sweat and grime. He wasn't sure whether to tell her or not since she was the first one at the Maekawa dojo to accept Raijuta's challenge and didn't hesitate to take on a street gang. While Kaoru's refusal to back down was a good example for the boy it was bad for Kenshin's heart.

He cleaned the mess he made in the bathhouse then headed back to the kitchen to see how dry his kimono and hakama were. After rearranging them on the rope he put his travel pack in his room and took a short nap on clean sheets.

* * *

Sano wasn't at his longhouse, the Shuei-Ya, or the Akabeko; it didn't occur to Kenshin that he might be at the clinic with Megumi getting the bandage on his hand changed. There probably wasn't much use in going back to Yokohama anyway. If they chose to attack they'd come through the station after sunset and be gone an hour later when the last train left.

"Welcome home, Kenshin!" Kaoru came out with a big grin as he closed the gate.

"It's good to be home." She reached for a sleeve to check for any new injuries when he got to the steps "Thank you for your concern." He noticed her cheeks turn pink as she looked away and decided not to chance a repeat of the Aoi-Ya; it was too dangerous if either one of them caught her alone.

She met his eyes when he opened the kitchen door finding violet flecks in gold that made her forget about asking why he didn't have his travel pack and why he wasn't sweaty or dusty from traveling on foot. "I put the kettle on a few minutes ago if you'd like some tea."

"Thank you." Kenshin's knees appreciated sitting on a cushion again rather than on hard ground.

Kaoru poured his tea "I apologize for not buying tickets sooner. I didn't consider your feelings the way you deserve."

"You are not the one who ought to apologize. Leaving without saying goodbye is regrettable and being welcomed by you is more than I hoped for." A tongue lashing for making her worry was more expected than a bright smile.

"Don't be stupid, Kenshin." She tried to say it with a frown; however the idiot talked so much like himself that she failed miserably.

"I also want to thank you for giving me a choice of paths."

Kaoru took that to mean he was choosing to stay. "Yahiko and Yutaro will be here any minute so you'll have time to rest if you'd like."

"Actually if it's alright with you, being a sparring partner for Yahiko will give you more time to work with Yutaro-kun."

Kaoru paused "Well, as long as you don't mind. I could use some extra time with him after being gone so long."

* * *

The lady doctor had strictly forbidden Sano from using his right hand for anything so he was going to see if he had better luck at dice with his left.

When he entered the Shuei-Ya Hikojiro greeted him then said Kenshin came by looking for him. Sano was so glad his friend came back he didn't even glance at the two cubes tumbling to a stop. "Then I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

When he got to the dojo Kenshin and Yahiko were in the yard sparring. Both training hall doors were wide open revealing Kaoru in the process of teaching Yutaro a kata so Sano got comfortable on the covered porch. Kenshin easily defended himself holding a shinai with one hand while Yahiko beat on it with all his strength.

"I thought you said you weren't going to pass on your sword style and that the kid didn't want to learn it anymore."

"I'm not his sensai." Kenshin was focused on Sano which didn't give Yahiko an edge at all.

"If you can't tell I'm using Kamiya-Kasshin then Saito was right calling you a rooster head." He was getting frustrated not being able to land a single hit. That last double strike wasn't hard enough to make Kenshin use two hands which seriously pissed him off.

"What do you know about it, Brat?"

"I hear plenty because kids are ignored." Three blows in quick succession using all his strength accomplished nothing.

"Yahiko, you have been taught about remaining calm and fighting with a clear head. Perhaps if you talk about your concerns you will not be so distracted."

He fisted his hilt wondering if kicking stupid Kenshin in his face will count as a hit. Yahiko felt the weight of a shinai on his bare shoulder realizing that the tip was hooked under his collar and quickly stepped back to prevent being lifted up the way Ugly once carried him over her shoulder. "Why did you have to remember that?"

"It was only to get your attention, Yahiko. I won't embarrass you." Kenshin tucked the training sword in his belt "What are you concerned about?"

"Are you going to leave again the next time you get angry at Kaoru?"

"She isn't annoying."

Sano smirked at the look on Yahiko's face.

"Are you crazy? She's the most irritating loud mouth and the fattest ugliest woman in…hey! You said you weren't going to do that!"

Kenshin tucked the shinai in his belt again while Yahiko straightened his gi "You will learn to fight the way she does."

Sano laughed out loud at the boy's indignant "Apprentice!"

"You concentrate too much on your enemy's weapon. When she attacked the Yakuza did she aim for their weapons?"

Yahiko shook his head "Ugly smashed wrists, elbows and knees. Both times I saw men come at her two on one she managed to slip between them to take their backs."

Kenshin rubbed his forehead "A simple 'no' will do." Perhaps Seiku might be persuaded to make a steel bokken or shinai for her. "Now attack my weak points instead of the shinai."

* * *

Saito thanked the police officer for the information and when his new assistant Cho finally showed up he wanted the news confirmed. "Otowa Hyoko was seen getting off of the train in Yokohama with someone wearing a mask and cloak. Find out who it is; I want no unnecessary surprises when we make our move."

Cho frowned as he made his way back to the train station grumbling about that squinty eyed chain smoker and being his lackey wasn't better than rotting in a cell after all if he was running back and forth all the time. And what did it really matter who was with Otowa since they were all going to be Gatotsu'd anyway. Well, except for Yukishiro Enishi. Saito was going to put him in a cell that even rooster head can't break.

It was evening by the time Cho got to the mansion where Yukishiro was currently staying and he crept around the sculptured shrubs until he saw the white haired man in a second floor room sitting in a chair facing the huge back window. Moving around the patch of light on the grass he found a spot with a good vantage point of the room and waited to see who showed up.

Cho was a little surprised when the man stood and looked at the ceiling as though it was suddenly very interesting. Then he put his hands on his hips and spoke for a moment making a sweeping gesture with his left hand. He could just imagine Saito's face when he told him Yukishiro has conversations with his ceiling. Was he talking to someone who was hiding from him? What was the point in that? Skull Mask came in a minute later followed by Whale Mouth. Both of them completely ignored the ceiling so if someone was up there they either didn't know or didn't care. Whale Mouth was even bigger than Anji and only wore an old worn length of cloth tied around his waist.

Otowa finally showed up with a new face, but the man wasn't wearing a cloak. Cho took careful note of the bandana, black stripe across his nose, and clothes covered in various shades of green. Those metal plates on his forearms made him a good match for Sanosuke. He was too far away to catch the name, but Saito was probably going to send him back again anyway.

* * *

Kaoru still didn't know what to make of Kenshin sparring with Yahiko yesterday afternoon. The boy didn't say much during dinner. Last spring she would have been grateful Kenshin chose to continue living with her and yet sitting here across the breakfast table Kaoru wished she had the courage to ask why he came back. Or at least ask him why he left with Sano right after dinner last night. Did he miss her at all or did he return because of Yahiko and Sano?

Ayame and Suzume tried to help Kenshin do the laundry. Little Suzume leaned against the tub to splash the rinse water, her eyes growing wider as Ayame whispered in her ear. Ayame tried to shush Suzume as they tiptoed behind him. He dunked his face in the water when he felt their small hands push on his back and the effort was rewarded by peals of laughter.

"Yay, we tricked big brother Kenny!"

"Tricked Kenny, tricked Kenny!"

Kaoru and Dr. Gensai grinned at the joke that interrupted their conversation on the porch steps. She approached the tub to give the two little girls a hug and smiled and Kenshin as he wiped his face.

"Let's do the rinsing so Kenshin can finish hanging all these clothes."

They were more than happy to go back to playing in the tub of water when Kaoru showed them how to make little bubbles by pulling Kenshin's old pants underwater and squeezing the air out. While it entertained the girls it made her determined to replace them because the man who saved Japan from yet another war shouldn't have to wear such overly patched hakama.

Kenshin was glad for the help and set about draping the towels and socks over one of the bamboo poles. He slid the other pole through the sleeves of Yahiko's training gi and one of Kaoru's kimonos then set it on the supports to take a dripping obi from her. He squeezed the water out of the blue and red striped silk thinking that she ought to have a tie for her yellow kimono instead of using this one for both. Knowing she doesn't spend extra money on herself he decided to buy one for her the next time she sent him for tofu.

Sano came by for dinner again "Tae's going to let us have a little party at the Akabeko Friday evening."

Kaoru noticed that Kenshin wasn't happy about it although he didn't say anything against it. She didn't want to ask him in front of Sano and then Yahiko returned from his shift at the beef pot restaurant. While she was in the kitchen giving Yahiko his dinner Kenshin and Sano left so she had no opportunity to talk to him alone.

Kenshin climbed to the roof of the rice warehouse followed by his best friend "A whole month was spent drinking in Kyoto and last night you admitted to partying until midnight when you got back."

"You can't have too many good times." Sano sat on the side of the roof overlooking the station.

"Evening isn't the wisest choice right now." Kenshin sat next to him since the locomotive was already in sight.

"If you aren't going to make the first move then what's wrong with missing a day?"

"It's the difference between being unprepared and being ready to pounce before anyone is hurt badly."

"Why are these guys any different than anyone else that's attacked you, the little Miss, or the dojo?"

Kenshin wasn't paying attention to him. He was focused on a huge man wearing a length of cloth tied around his waist. He had a very wide mouth and part of his right arm was cut off.

"Is he one of the guys?" Sano didn't remember Kenshin mentioning anyone that huge with a mouth like a whale.

"I don't know. Probably not, but if he's here in Tokyo then maybe" Kenshin turned toward Sano "I faced him at the end of the Bakumatsu. He asked me to take his life instead of forcing him to live without his right arm, but I wasn't going to kill anymore."

"Do you think he came to Tokyo for revenge?"

"Let's follow him."

"Wait a minute, Kenshin. It's the twelfth year of Meiji; a full decade since then. How long are you going to chase after everyone who survived on the chance they're still carrying a grudge?"

"Wouldn't you still be carrying a grudge, Zanza?"

"You remember my old fighter-for-hire name?"

"Come on. We're losing him."

* * *

Kaoru left for the Maekawa dojo right after breakfast and without Yahiko because he was going to spar with Kenshin until his shift started. The brat said Kenshin was making him fight like her and she took to mean using Kamiya-Kasshin; she'd pummel them otherwise. From the beginning Kenshin said Yahiko was her apprentice so she felt like he was coming between them by sparring with the boy almost every day. On the other hand it gave her the opportunity to be a visiting instructor twice a week for Maekawa and once a week at the Jouetsukan dojo. Kaoru decided to be grateful that she was able to make her father's style known to other kendo students and get paid for it.

A few men in the shop turned to look at her as a disheveled Kaoru came in and grabbed a pair of white hakama from the boys' shelf and handed them to the merchant. "Good afternoon, sir. I would like to get these." She stood with her feet shoulder width apart and her arms crossed as she waited for the man to refold the pants and wrap them. Kaoru expected the stares because she came after a few hours of training and not in a kimono; however only one man made a comment when she headed toward the door with her package.

"Between Meiji and the westerners women don't know their place anymore." A heavyset man gave her a look of disgust.

Kaoru was instantly in his face as much as she was able only coming to his chest "Come to the Kamiya dojo at any time and I will personally demonstrate my place." She ought to force feed him her miso soup for that.

* * *

After Yahiko left Kenshin decided to get tofu for dinner and maybe some red bean paste to make yokan for dessert. His first stop was the kimono shop across from the art dealer where Tae was browsing through portraits of military heroes. She happened to catch a glimpse of his red hair and went to greet him. "Oh Kenshin-san, are you buying something for Kaoru-chan?"

He looked up from a selection of yellow kimono ties "Her generosity doesn't leave much left over for the things she may want."

Tae wasn't fooled "If you're looking for something she may want then get her a ring. It's a new western trend worn on the third finger of her left hand. It's the perfect gift to give her for Tanabata, too bad you were in Kyoto at the time."

She pulled Kenshin three doors down to the jewelers where Hikojiro was selecting a ring to give his girl Satoshi. Tae left Kenshin in front of the display of wedding bands now that he was on the right course.

"Hello, Kenshin. When are you marrying Kamiya-san? Satoshi wants a western style wedding so I asked her father's permission to propose."

"Have you made your decision, sir?" The shop keeper gestured to the rings.

"Her favorite color is blue so I'll take that one." He pointed to a sapphire set in silver.

"An excellent choice, if I may say."

Kenshin slipped out feeling like he escaped from a trap. He made sure Tae was nowhere around before going back to the kimono shop and buying a yellow obi with pink and purple flower petals. It was the only floral one without whole blossoms to prevent Tae from making up some hidden meaning.

* * *

Kaoru was sitting on the porch steps close to sunset when Kenshin came out of the kitchen door "It's a beautiful evening isn't it."

"I'm meeting up with Sano." Kenshin paused on the bottom step "Tae-san mentioned Tanabata today. Is it a new festival?"

"There are two stars that come close to each other once a year. A legend developed about two star-crossed lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi, and the boatman that ferries her across the river to see him every year. Tanabata became a popular day to confess and propose so last year some of the younger girls tied wishes to the trees by the hill where the fireworks are."

Kenshin realized Kaoru didn't tie a wish to a tree last year "Sorry you missed it."

"It's only fireworks." Kaoru watched Sano stroll through the gate "Where are you two going tonight?"

"We're hitting up the brothels again."

Kenshin was displeased Sano mentioned a place like that in front of her.

"I expect that from you" Kaoru glared at the man "but why lie about Kenshin?"

"Hey, I'm not the only bad boy."

"We've been watching the Shinbashi Station for a couple of old enemies who may be planning to attack."

"What happened to waiting for them to make the first move? No, don't answer that." Kaoru stood up "I'll see you tomorrow." She had enough of both of them and decided she may as well go to bed already. If Kenshin wanted her to be his weakness instead of his strength then she was stuck waiting around for him to come back. Was she stuck waiting? Waiting for what? This was the closest thing she had to a conversation with Kenshin since…breakfast the day he got back. Kaoru was waiting for crumbs of attention the way Kamatari waited for scraps from Shishio Mokoto. Why did she have to visit him at the clinic a second time? She used to be satisfied standing at the gate until Kenshin came back.

* * *

On Friday Kenshin left for the Akabeko by himself since Kaoru was probably going straight from her outside training at the Maekawa dojo. He took the higher faster route out of old habit and heard Tae's voice as he landed by the kitchen door.

"…sweaty all the time and you two were finally doing well together. I'm sure he'd appreciate it if you powdered your face for him once in a while."

"Our relationship isn't like that!" Kaoru was relieved when a customer came in distracting her best friend. Some best friend. What did Tae know about 'doing well together'? As if Kaoru had any good opportunities to give Kenshin the hakama she bought for him days ago. He spends the morning with Yahiko and the evening with Sano while she's either at the Jouetsukan or Maekawa dojos.

Kenshin gestured to Sano making sure he noticed the huge man that Tae served. Sano gestured back indicating that of course he recognized Whale Mouth, but the guy wasn't threatening anyone.

Tsubame was in the kitchen arranging various types of sushi on two trays and Yahiko went to the cellar for a jug of sake while they waited for the last customer to leave. Kaoru and Sano sat at the table closest to the kitchen. She was facing the entrance so Kenshin sat next to her when their idle chatter turned to Hikojiro and Satoshi.

"He spent most of his winnings on a western wedding ring." Sano rested both elbows on the back of the bench.

"It's good that her father let her have a choice instead of forcing her to marry his best friend's son." Kaoru didn't move over when Kenshin sat next to her.

"How is Megumi-san?" Kenshin changed the subject content that she stayed close because they spent no time together lately.

Sano shrugged "her and her brother are writing each other daily working on a cream to make skin soft. Aoshi gave them a packet of ingredients back in Kyoto, but so far they haven't come up with anything worth selling."

Kaoru nodded in agreement "He had a bucket full of packets and jars that he left with them the day I showed Megumi where the clinic is."

Tae set the warmed sake on the table looking at her hands "I'd pay good money for some of that cream."

"I think you'd have more use for the stuff that preserves meat." Sano poured sake into his saucer.

She decided to take that as a compliment and took a bit off his tab.

Kenshin wondered what the former Okashira was up to, but was distracted from asking when Kaoru poured a little sake for him carefully holding her kimono sleeve with her left hand to prevent exposing her wrist. She closely observed proper etiquette for a woman and had the chi of an honored swordsman just under the surface. He loved that about her…and the smile she gave him when he thanked her. Kenshin should have given her the obi already. There was no point in waiting.

Halfway home they heard a loud explosion and stopped. When Kenshin stated that it was an Armstrong cannon Sano put drunken Yahiko down "Are we going to check it out?"

"It was the wrong direction to be the dojo." Kenshin began walking again "We can look into it tomorrow."

"True." Kaoru agreed "There's nothing to be gained by running around now."

A few minutes later the emergency bells began ringing and Kaoru held Kenshin's sleeve when a number of police officers ran by.

"Himura-san!" The Chief of Police stopped.

"Chief Uramura, what happened?"

"It was cannon fire from Ueno-Yama. A restaurant called Akabeko was hit." He continued running toward the hill of ancient maples overlooking the commercial district.

Kenshin ran off followed closely by Sano. Kaoru tried to stop Yahiko because in his state he'd only get in the way. Kenshin and Sano arrived at the pile of rubble to find the Sekihara family and Tsubame were safe because unlike some merchants they had a separate house.

"Oh, Kaoru-chan" Tae cried at the devastation "This is so cruel."

Kaoru hugged a bawling Tsubame "I'm so glad no one was hurt."

"Kenshin-san and Sanosuke went to Ueno-Yama to see if the police found out who it was." Tae gave up trying to dry her tears.

Kaoru heard a policeman ask Sekihara-san if anyone held a grudge against him. When the officer conceded that a grudge was unlikely she thought of Kenshin's old enemies. So many men who survived the Bakumatsu held a grudge against him perhaps this attack wasn't supposed to be aimed at the Akabeko. "Tae-san, I'm going to take Tsubame home now and I'll be by tomorrow if there's anything I can do to help."

* * *

"There's no evidence that a cannon was mounted here."

Kenshin knelt by the stump of a huge old maple. "See this deep footprint? He probably dropped his back against the tree to take the recoil."

"It's possible he's big enough to fire an Armstrong over his shoulders, but how could he hit Akabeko in one shot?" Sano's eyes swept over shops in the distance.

"We can't assume he was by himself even though we followed him here the other night."

"So he was testing the range somehow? You were right; we should have stayed on him until he went back to the station."

"Himura-san, the criminal left a note." Chief Uramura handed a folded paper to him.

"Jinchu." Kenshin read the single word out loud.

"Did they mean 'tenchu'?" Sano was confused.

"Ishin Shishi hitokiri used 'tenchu' because heaven's justice lay in their hands." Kenshin gave the paper back.

"The term 'jinchu' means that this wasn't a judgment from the heavens, but a personal grudge." The chief put the note in his pocket "This isn't a weapon that any person can acquire and they aimed at the wrong part of town to attack the government. Did they have the wrong target, Himura-san?"

"I was there for some time this evening, but they waited until it could be safely assumed that the restaurant was empty."

"You won't be in the official report, but come by my office some time tomorrow with detailed descriptions so my men will know who to look for."

Sano waited until the two of them were alone halfway down the hillside before trying to console the one who least deserved this level of retribution "Kenshin-"

"Don't worry about it, Sano. I accept my past. As a most trusted friend there is one favor I'd like to ask of you."

"Just name it."

"If you ever come face to face with any of them don't aim for their weapons to make it a fair fight. Use your Mastery of Three Layers on whatever weak spot you can hit first."

Sano considered that for a moment imagining having to search for little Tsubame's body in the rubble. "No mercy."

"Sano, he didn't catch the last train to Yokohama."

"We've done guard duty all night before."


	12. Or the End of Jinchu

Kaoru dropped two cleaning rags next to the tub before heading inside, but paused at the top of the steps as though changing her mind then went to sit against the wall under the kitchen window relaxing until Yahiko was finished with the bath. She turned her head to the side on the off chance Kenshin decided to talk to her. Kaoru wanted to know what was going on with these current enemies, although at this point she'd welcome any topic.

He noticed that the sleeves of her gi weren't covering her wrists. From under his uncombed bangs he saw her shift slightly exposing her right ankle with none of the modesty she displayed last night. Why was she revealing herself to him like this? Did she do this before? It took him a while to catch on that she covered her smile with a hand for everyone except him, maybe this was the next step.

The bathhouse door slammed open then shut soundly as Yahiko ran to the gate yelling that he'd be back later. Kaoru stood up and stretched before heading to the bathhouse without even glancing his way. Kenshin dumped the wash water feeling like an idiot for his assumption; Kaoru was in her training clothes sitting and walking like a typical swordsman. He refilled the tub and began rinsing their laundry as he considered the safest place for her to be tonight. There weren't many options.

Kaoru towel dried her hair still unsure how to make Kenshin talk to her. By the time she tied her obi she decided to spend the afternoon somewhere else "I'm going to visit Tae-san."

Kenshin instinctively stopped her from going alone "I will come with you."

Now he wants to spend time with her? Fine then, she got straight to the point "Was Akabeko destroyed by the men you're looking for?"

"A man from my past, yes. There are two, possibly three others who haven't made a move yet."

"Was that really so hard to tell me?" Kaoru looked at his set jaw and long fringe "Kenshin, why won't you talk to me?"

"I've brought dangerous men to your doorstep and chatting about it over a pot of tea won't protect you."

Kaoru met his eyes when he turned to her "Does that mean you don't like tea or that you don't enjoy watching sunsets, Kenshin?" She paused for a moment "I suppose we can go for a walk or watch the stars instead if you prefer."

How can she not care? Isn't she the least bit concerned? He held her shoulder to emphasize his point "Now isn't the time to be thinking of tea or watching the sky. We must prepare."

"I listen to you when facing an enemy, Kenshin." Kaoru put her hand over his "Relax and enjoy the little things until then." She let her fingertips slide across the back of his hand and he released her.

Sano and Yahiko helped clear some of the debris while Kaoru took Tae to visit Tsunan. Kaoru thought buying a custom made portrait for her was the best way to take her mind off of the destruction for a while. Fortunately he already had a selection of military heroes ready to take to the art dealer and he let Tae browse through them as he quietly questioned Kaoru.

"Do you know who is responsible for the Akabeko?"

"Another old enemy of Kenshin's."

"Who is Kenshin, really? I mean, Lord Okubo personally visited him to ask for his help in a matter of national security and this morning Chief Uramura officially stated that cannon misfire from a band of rebel samurai was at fault. Kaoru-san, you and I both know that if the rebels were rich enough to buy an Armstrong they would have bribed enough government officials to make that level of firepower unnecessary."

"You have access to history archives and know officials who are willing to give you inside information. What have you found out about Himura Kenshin?"

"Only that he went by the title 'Battosai' when he was an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. He once stopped me and Sano from bombing the Dept of Internal Affairs, but I see no reason for him to be attacked as if he controls the new government."

"Politics isn't involved."

Tsunan was stumped. "Then I don't know what I can do to help except make more grenades."

When Kaoru and Tae returned to the remains of the Akabeko Sano was gathering large stones from the foundation while Yahiko helped load broken timber onto a cart to be hauled away. Kenshin came back from visiting Chief Uramura as Tae thanked Kaoru for the two portraits then went to discuss the rebuilding with her father.

"Sano, we need to figure out a strategy for tonight." Kenshin stopped by the pile of rock.

"Do you have an idea how they choose their targets?"

"The day I came back I searched for you and this was the last place I tried. The next target will be the dojo or Shuei-Ya if they chose by how often I go somewhere."

"I got no problem guarding it." Sano hoped to double the money in his wallet while he was at it.

"I'll keep Yahiko at the dojo, but she needs to be somewhere safe." Kenshin watched Kaoru talk with Yahiko by the cart waving her over when she glanced his way.

"What is it, Kenshin?"

"Tonight I'm keeping Yahiko at the dojo and Sano is guarding Shuei-Ya. Is there anywhere else that ought to be watched?"

"Well as long as the gambling hall is safe" Kaoru rolled her eyes at Sano's priorities. "Do you think they'll attack Oguna Clinic?"

Kenshin frowned "We shouldn't assume they won't. Sano, warn your friends to close early tonight and both of you watch over the clinic."

"Kenshin, do you think they'll take the last train from Yokohama?"

"Possibly, or they may already be here."

Sano grabbed a couple of foundation stones after the pair left and headed home. He doubted Kenshin's enemies were going to drag this out long enough for him to master Futae No Kiwami with his left hand, but his right was too close to useless.

* * *

"Good afternoon Chief Uramura, what brings you to my humble office?" Saito's practiced greeting and fake smile didn't faze his visitor.

"Lieutenant Fujita, you recall asking to be notified regarding the whereabouts of certain men. This morning a respected citizen named Himura Kenshin came to me with concerns regarding a few of these men and I verified that their descriptions match the document you sent with Cho." He handed over a legible version of Kenshin's statement. "Kujiranami-san was the one who fired an Armstrong cannon at a restaurant called Akabeko last night. This same gentleman also saw Otowa Hyoko and Banjin Inui at the Kannai train station in Yokohama several days ago and happened to follow them to an Inn."

"Is Himura-san expecting another establishment to be destroyed tonight?"

"Lt Fujita, it is foolish to assume last night was an isolated incident."

It's also foolish to let that idiot run loose making enemies of foreign arms dealers. "You are quite right Chief Uramura."

Once his visitor left Saito lit a fresh cigarette leaning back to read Himura's statement. Leveling the restaurant sounded more like leaving a calling card than a matter of poor timing. Who was with Otowa last May? How far back does this go? There was no contact between them in Kyoto so why attack now and involve so many others in a personal grudge? Perhaps that idiot could be used to draw out Yukishiro making his capture quick and easy.

* * *

"Are the girls already in bed?" Sano ran his left hand through his hair messing up the short spikes.

"It's a quarter to ten, so yes, they're sleeping." Megumi set another candle by her medicine box. "Is Kaoru going to stay outside?"

"I guess." Sano dropped onto the stool and rested his right elbow on the table. "Kenshin isn't hiding what's going on anymore and he's letting the little Miss help out some."

"Help out?" Megumi unwrapped his right hand wondering why Kaoru wore boys' clothes "Is she guarding the clinic?"

"We don't know where they might strike."

"How are they doing?" She kept her eyes focused on the alignment of his index finger.

Sano watched her lips press together as she moved on to the next finger "They were up on the roof when I went over around dusk. Apparently they left Yahiko to do the dishes."

Megumi imagined Kenshin and Kaoru sitting side by side watching the sunset from the privacy of the roof. "How is Tae-san doing after the attack?"

Sano watched her lips relax "She was talking to her father about rebuilding." He wasn't sure what to make of her expression as her fingers moved up and down his pinky "Is Shitago still talking about moving to Aizu?"

"Yes, he's trying to sell his clinic." Megumi began wrapping his hand "I hope Shitago makes enough to build a new treatment center if Aizu doesn't have one already."

"You can always sell some of that cream you're making."

"It ought to be tested on someone else first to make sure it works."

"Ask Tae-san."

Rapid pounding on the door interrupted Megumi's response. Three men stumbled in beaten badly by something hard enough to split skin. By the time Sano heard enough to understand that a man with armor covered forearms was trying to kill the men at Maekawa dojo Kaoru was long gone. These guys were throwing their net too wide going after the little Miss as well. Every curse and foul oath he ever heard ran through his head when he knew he wasn't going to catch her before she got to the dojo. Short legs had no business running to trouble that fast and how was he going to face Kenshin if she gets hurt on his watch?

Kaoru approached one of the guys most able to run "Please get Kenshin then come back with Yahiko and our medicine kit." She watched four police officers with thin wood sticks surround a brawny man with armor plating extending from the back of his hands to his elbows. Of course the sticks broke easily and the metal gauntlets tore through uniforms and flesh. Another four officers knelt taking aim with handguns and Kaoru unsheathed her bokken seeing that bullets ricocheted off the metal. She wasn't going to aim for his arms.

"Get back Kamiya-san!"

"No, Kamiya-san!"

The man laughed "What do you think you're going to do little girl?"

Kaoru ran at him expecting the man to block his chest the way he did when the first group of police attacked, and he did. A double shoulder strike bruised his right shoulder. He scoffed as she took another step back just in case he lunged.

"Hey Missy, let me have a crack at him." Sano hoped he wasn't going to take a swing at her.

"He has no spirit, no skill, no honor" Kaoru took a step to the right "and is not worthy to be in this dojo."

Sano smirked at her insult and stepped to the side "Does that mean I can help dispose of the rat?"

"I am no rat! My invincible gauntlets will pulverize you!"

Kaoru executed another shoulder strike when the man turned to yell at Sano. When the man turned to lunge at Kaoru Sano struck his lower back with Mastery of Two Layers. She sidestepped his attack ducking under a swinging arm and also struck his lower back.

Kenshin arrived to see Kaoru's bokken land hard on the man's back then step away giving Sano a chance to use Futae No Kiwami when he took another swing at her.

"Where is the Chief?" Kenshin asked the closest officer.

"We sent word to him, but he hasn't shown up and the man we sent didn't come back either."

Sano let the man land a punch so that Missy had an opening to jab the end of her bokken where Sano already hit him.

Kenshin saw that Kaoru didn't have a scratch on her yet so he ran to Uramura's home trusting Sano to keep Kaoru safe.

Three minutes after Kenshin left Iwanbo crashed through the front gate followed close by Yahiko. Sano and Kaoru stepped back from their opponent to see what the new arrival had planned. Yahiko dropped the medicine kit and moved to join Kaoru while Iwanbo opened his mouth wide, wide enough for a cloaked man wearing a skull mask to climb out and jump to the top of the front gate. Sano didn't make a move as the man ran to join the masked one.

"Gein! What are you doing here already?"

"It's time to go back Banjin. Jinchu is now."

"Get out of here Gein; I want to kill him first!"

"If you want to be right in the middle of it then fine with me." The cloaked man jumped from the top of the gate to the street and ran off.

"Be grateful I'm ending it here!"

"What are you talking about?" Sano smirked "You only landed one hit!"

"If there's a next time I'll-" The man stopped short seeing a tendril of smoke rise from Iwanbo's mouth and ran off when it started to hiss.

Everyone came closer to the fake body curious about the thin column of smoke.

Sano took a minute to put Jinchu and a smoking fake body together before concluding it was a bomb. "Run! Now!" He kicked the body with all his might and a bomb came sailing out "Get down!" It exploded as it flew over the courtyard.

"Sano, why didn't you let me face him alone?"

"Kenshin asked me not to fight fair with any of them."

* * *

From the gate Kenshin saw the man's shadow with three long spider legs on each side stretching out toward the goldfish pond in the middle of the yard. Kenshin snuck along the side of the house hearing Otowa Hyoko threaten to kill the whole family.

"If you want to hold a grudge…"

"Hold it against me? Kenshin stepped into the open doorway "No, this isn't vengeance. You are only here because you enjoy hurting those who can't defeat you." He saw the chief on the floor in the middle of the room. His mangled right hand was pinned to the floor with a katana and his wife and daughter were huddled against the far wall with an officer who was beaten unconscious.

Otowa turned toward Kenshin "Draw your Battojutsu against my Baika Chuzen." He raised his left arm in front of him.

"Himura-san! No!" The chief tried to stop Kenshin despite his right hand being pinned to the floor with Otowa's sword.

Kenshin dropped into the Battojutsu stance to see this Baika Chuzen attack that was probably used against Chief Uramura and the other officer.

A small arrow, not that much longer than the breadth of his hand, but not impossible to catch "This is your great attack?" Kenshin let it drop from his hand.

"An arrow?" The chief didn't know how that was possible without a bow, but if one lodged in the barrel of his hand gun it will cause a problem. He looked over at his damaged weapon trusting Himura to protect his wife and daughter.

Kenshin stepped back into the yard taking a defensive stance next to the goldfish pond "Come then, let's finish this."

Otowa Hyoko pulled his katana free not foolish enough to fight a man able to catch a small arrow bare handed without first trapping him with his poison mist. He threw two small cubes into the fish pond before realizing how late it was "As much as I'd enjoy facing you Battosai, it's time for jinchu."

Kenshin let the man retreat as he sheathed his sakabato and took two steps toward the doorway intending to help clean and bandage the chief's hand. He must have inhaled some of the mist because he ended up on his knees with all his memories intact, whether he wanted them or not. He was such an idiot.

"Himura-san, what did he mean by 'it's time for jinchu'?"

"Run!" Kenshin was at the door in a flash grabbing Chief Uramura then jumping to the roof just as a small bomb landed in the yard. He thought that the house was the target and was relieved that only the goldfish died. Mother and daughter were a bit traumatized by the whole ordeal, but uninjured so Kenshin left not wanting to intrude on the suffering family anymore. He stopped by the clinic to ask Dr. Gensai to check on Chief Uramura's hand then headed home.

It was dawn by the time Kenshin reached the canal road, probably because he was in no hurry to face the others. It seemed that everyone he knew was subjected to random attacks and destruction and he had no idea how to put an end to it. He even let Kaoru be involved which was possibly worse than walking away from her, stupid fool that he was. A white haired man stood in the middle of the bridge blocking the way. A flash of light made Kenshin squint and then he recognized the man only because he'd recently read Tomoe's diary again.

"Yukishiro Enishi, you are behind these attacks."

"Of course, ever since the battle of Toba Fushimi eleven years ago I've lived to avenge my sister. I sailed to Shanghai and began in the gutter. Now I'm the head of the Shanghai mafia controlling the weapons market." Enishi pulled out a revolver and shot at Kenshin's feet "Kujiranami's Armstrong cannon, Otowa's shadow instruments, bombs, even an ironclad battleship for Shishio Makoto so I can have my revenge."

"It is understandable that you can't get over the fact that she's gone, but endangering innocents isn't revenge; it's murder. Do you truly think Tomoe would be proud of you?"

"Don't you dare speak her name! You don't know her!" Enishi threw the empty gun toward Kenshin's head "I'll set Tokyo ablaze if you say her name again!"

"She was so happy when you came to visit and yet disappointed because you were involved in the plot. Your sister wanted to spend more time with you and refusing her dinner invitation hurt her feelings making her wonder if you cared more for revenge than for her." Kenshin combined bits of their last night together with parts from Tomoe's diary to remind Enishi that she had been a serene woman who opposed blind destruction.

"How dare you try to shift the blame for sister's unhappiness! In ten days the six of us will complete jinchu at the Kamiya dojo." He turned away after delivering his challenge.

Kenshin watched him walk to the other side of the canal "Your sister didn't smile at murder."

"You will suffer!"


	13. Count Down

Kaoru turned away from observing Yutaro and Yahiko alternating between offense and defense on each other when she heard the front gate open. It was already mid-morning and Kenshin was just getting home. He looked rough and she wanted to ask him what happened, but the way he shuffled to the kitchen door made her hesitate. Did he get to the Chief's house too late? Did the Uramura's blame him?

Kenshin dropped on his futon and fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. Nightmares made him toss and turn. The noon bang made Kenshin jump from his futon in a panic. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm his racing heart; that cannon fire was only to mark the time, not an attack.

Enishi sat facing the back yard with his eyes closed picturing his sister's face the way she looked thirteen years ago before she left for Kyoto. Her eyes were sad, her lips a flat horizontal line; he still couldn't get the image to smile. "Don't worry dear Tomoe; we attacked everyone close to him and his replacement for you. In ten days you will be avenged so please smile for me." The vision remained unchanged.

Sano's knuckles were raw from repeatedly smashing against stone. His timing was way off even after changing positions. He stood in frustration before focusing on the week with Anji in the mountains then removed his white gi and sat in front of the stone again trying to strike twice within a seventy-fifth of a second. That's how Megumi found him and no amount of scolding made him stop. He didn't even look up, but merely held out his right hand for her to fix. Again.

* * *

"Sincere apologies for interrupting you Kaoru-dono," He watched her hesitate then set aside the letter to face him "Yahiko get Sano…and Megumi-san if possible. There is something you all need to hear about the beginning of this battle."

Kaoru knew Kenshin was back to his old self by his choice of words so it didn't matter that he was hiding his eyes from her. Kenshin leaned against the door still wearing the same gi and hakama from yesterday and it hurt her to see him suffering like this. "Kenshin," Kaoru stopped within arm's reach "thank you for confiding in me yesterday and for giving me a chance to help."

"You were put in a dangerous situation. That is nothing to be thankful for." He tilted his head down using his bangs as a barrier between them.

"If you didn't let me help then I wouldn't know that Iwanbo is a fake body controlled by a man named Gein."

"What?"

"I don't know why he was watching me instead of fighting the Oniwabanshu at the Aoi-Ya; however bombing Maekawa dojo had more to do with me than with you so it seems we're in this together."

He turned his face away from her assuming this was what Enishi meant by telling him to suffer; Kaoru was right in the middle of this battle.

When he turned she saw the scabbed bruise on the left side of his forehead where the revolver struck. Kaoru carefully brushed aside his long fringe "Kenshin, please let Megumi look at this."

"Thank you for your concern, Kaoru-dono." He grasped her arm as it fell away from his hair and pressed his fingertips to the pulse of her wrist feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat. "The man who attacked Chief Uramura was the same man this one encountered on the roof last May. He uses a poisonous gas that somehow affects this one's memories." Kenshin met her eyes making no move to release her arm. "How this started will be hard for you to hear so it is understandable if you wish take back what was said on the roof the other night."

Kaoru blushed at the intimate way he held her "You chose this as your home Kenshin; therefore you have to be the one to take it back, I won't."

Megumi brewed tea while Kaoru opened the sliding screen revealing the garden and fence. Kenshin ignored everyone as he took his usual seat at the table preparing to reveal his worst crime. "While on the way home this one's brother-in-law… Yukishiro Enishi…made a declaration of war. He spent the past eleven years…preparing to avenge Himura Tomoe…this one's wife…who died by these hands." Once Kenshin stumbled through his confession it was a bit easier to continue "Ten days from now our home will be under attack from six men, including the ones we've encountered so far. Because they all claim to carry grudges from the Bakumatsu it may be best to tell the story of this scar." He gestured to his left cheek.

He began with the night he killed Kiyosato Akira; Tomoe's fiancé cut Kenshin's cheek from the outer corner of his eye to his chin before dying. Skipping ahead to meeting Yukishiro Tomoe at a tavern, Kenshin relayed the ambush that lead to taking her to the Kohagi-Ya Inn, Choshu headquarters. He didn't disclose many details on sharing a room together for six months other than inadvertently drawing his sword on her when she startled him to eventually sleeping in front of her, something he didn't do with his comrades. Her calm manner kept him grounded somewhat to offset the madness from killing men almost every night.

An Ishin Shishi traitor leaked information to the Shinsengumi about a secret meeting that Katsura was to attend and the resulting Ikedaya incident left no one else alive. Three thousand men from Choshu marched on the Capital where twenty thousand Bakufu forces were waiting. The city was torched. Kenshin took Tomoe with him to meet with Katsura and was told to hide out in Otsu. Katsura then asked Tomoe to watch over him. By that time Kenshin didn't want it to be just for show and Tomoe agreed with a smile.

Megumi and Sano suggested taking a break to give him a few minutes to catch his breath. She brewed a pot of tea while Yahiko's sliced the last of the Yokan. Megumi suspected that she was the traitor; Sano thought she was involved with the traitor, and Yahiko refused to believe that Kenshin actually killed his own wife. The three settled in their seats, yet Kenshin remained quiet staring at a knot hole in the wood as Kaoru poured his tea then moved the cup closer "Please Kenshin," she waited for him to take a sip "tell us the rest of the story."

There were good memories of playing with the local children and making simple medicines to sell as summer turned to autumn. It was a peaceful life after Kyoto and she was beginning to smile. Kenshin spent more than a year killing for an age where the powerless could find happiness, but he didn't understand what that happiness was until he spent five months in the country with Tomoe. The next day her younger brother Enishi showed up to visit for the afternoon which then prompted her to open up and they talked long into the night.

The next morning she was gone by the time he woke and his search was futile. A ransom note was slipped under the door so he headed for the woods after nightfall. There were only four of them, but they were well prepared for the fight to come to them. Explosions caused temporary deafness and blindness and by the time Kenshin reached the final enemy he was numb from the cold. He didn't know that Tomoe ran out of the shack and stepped in the middle of the fight until he smelled her white plum perfume. She stabbed the man in the chest as he sliced her back open unable to stop in mid-swing. The force of the blow caused the knife to fly out of her hand and cut his left cheek from his nose to the corner of his jaw. There was no way to save her from bleeding out. His senses gradually returned after he scooped her onto his lap holding her close to make her last minutes as easy as possible. That's when he noticed Enishi.

"Tomoe said it was better this way despite all protests that she ought to be the one to live instead of someone with such bloody hands."

Sano walked Megumi home "I guess that explains why he was so mad about the little Miss interfering in his fight with Saito."

"To die protecting the one you love doesn't seem so bad."

"It is when he wants her alive."

Kaoru sent Yahiko to start a fire in the bathhouse and washed their dishes then closed the sliding screen by the time Kenshin climbed to his feet and wearily trudged toward his room. She held the end of his sleeve as he passed by making him stop. He didn't take his eyes from the floor while he waited for her to release him so she rested her forehead on his upper arm for a moment before letting him go.

Kenshin woke up later than usual and in desperate need of a bath so by the time he entered the kitchen Yahiko was yelling.

"Hey you big rooster-head, quit eating off my plate!"

"I'm doing you a favor not having to eat something that smells like this."

Kaoru gave him a bright smile "Good morning, Kenshin. Please have some breakfast."

"No, don't do it. This miso soup is poisoned." Sano pushed it away from him.

"Oro?" He accepted a bowl of rice and began eating while she ladled some soup for him.

"It's like a secret weapon. Too bad we can't feed it to the enemy." Yahiko thought he went too far with that one and looked over at Kaoru dreading the consequences.

"…so long since I heard you say that." She offered a cup of tea with a grin.

"It slipped out without realizing. Thank you for cooking this morning." He gave her a shy smile.

"Seriously?" Yahiko turned to Sano who shrugged "Had to happen sooner or later."

Kenshin put the cup down "There is much to plan and this ten day grace period is not for our benefit."

"You're right about that. Who knows what kind of weapons he'll throw at us by then."

"Tsunan is making more grenades in case you want to use them." Kaoru began gathering the dishes.

Kenshin frowned "A way must be found to make Enishi listen."

"I wrote a letter to Misao so if there is anyone in Kyoto that may be able to reach him perhaps we can ask her to pass on a message."

"He will only listen to his sister. Please ask Misao-dono to bring Tomoe's diary." He told her exactly where he left it.

Sano stood up and stretched "I'm heading back. There are a couple of stones waiting for me and it's going to take more than a week to finish my Two-Layers training at this rate."

* * *

Kaoru grew frustrated with Yutaro and Yahiko beating on each other and attacked both at once sending Yutaro's shinai skidding across the floor. "You're depending too much on the blade, Yutaro! And you Yahiko, when are you going to learn not to let your emotions control you?"

Over an hour later Kenshin entered the training hall to find both boys attacking Kaoru. If they worked together she would have been seriously hurt. "Kaoru-dono, what is this?"

She stepped back when he interrupted "Jodan kata, Yahiko. The secret to Kamiya Kasshin is in the hilt so master it!" Kaoru grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from her face, but Kenshin stopped her.

"Why are you letting him rush ahead?" He watched a bead trickle down the side of her flushed face.

"He was left behind when Akabeko was destroyed and again when Maekawa dojo was attacked. Yahiko said he can't stand being the weak one and wants to become stronger for you and himself."

Kenshin released Kaoru to watch Yahiko attack his rival "He will make mistakes, but not such mistakes as this one has made. If you do not mind, perhaps a stronger sparring partner may help."

"Go right ahead, Kenshin." Yahiko ought to spend time with a great man and Kenshin enjoyed playing with him. Yutaro counted how many times he hit her bokken while she thought about Kenshin playing with the children in Otsu and Dr. Gensai's granddaughters. He truly deserved to live a peaceful happy life in a quiet village with a beautiful wife, but since he decided to make this his home Kaoru was going to take a chance. Tonight she was going to give him the hakama she bought letting him determine if he wanted them to be a useful gift or a traditional engagement present. And if he took off with Sano again she'd simply leave them on his futon as a token for helping out around the dojo. At least she'd know exactly where she stood with him.

"Kaoru-sensai, I reached one hundred."

"You did well, Yutaro-kun. Drink some water before you head home and I'll see you tomorrow."

Kenshin and Yahiko weren't in the yard and Kaoru didn't sense his chi. She tried not to mind and went back inside remembering the shy smile at breakfast. It was a big step. Battosai ate all her cooking as if it didn't taste bad, but he didn't smile and didn't say her name. Kaoru flipped through her father's book passing the dry step-by-step instructions for each kata and stopped at the first page of tactics.

_To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill_. Kaoru didn't see how negotiating was going to change Enishi's mind after he spent eleven years planning this attack.

"Yahiko, do you understand the importance of reaching an enemy's heart?" Kenshin blocked a shoulder strike as if swatting at a fly.

"An enemy attacks, Kenshin talks to them, and then they're not an enemy."

"…"

_Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat_. Kaoru knew Kenshin's strategy was to keep everyone alive and while not dying was an excellent goal her father didn't give any advice on tactics to use against cannons and bombs.

"Do you know what strategy is, Yahiko?" Kenshin side-stepped a down-ward blow.

"It's long range planning to ensure security or victory." Yahiko frowned when his Migi Nagi attack was deflected.

"And tactics?"

"The use of forces in combat."

"Which do we attack, Yahiko?"

"Ugly said strategy, but she didn't say how to attack their plans." Putting more power behind each blow didn't make elbow strikes land any better.

"To know your enemy you must become your enemy." Kenshin repelled a double shoulder strike. "Apply it to us."

"So if the Kenshingumi's strategy is that no one dies, then Enishi ought to try killing one of us?" Enishi's goal was to kill Kenshin and Yahiko had no clue how to attack that.

"Very good, Yahiko." Kenshin already knew Enishi's strategy was to make him suffer by putting Kaoru in the middle of this so he had to find a way of getting her out of it.

_He is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack_. Kaoru thought about that for a while. Perhaps she ought to discuss it with Maekawa-sensai tomorrow after training, and maybe Dr. Gensai also. Because he played Go so well he might have some insight as well.

"With each sword move you know which part of your body is open to attack." Kenshin tapped Yahiko's left side to make his point. "Apply that to all of us as a whole and then we will better know what areas to strengthen."

"I already know I'm the weak point." My right foot and your left cheek.

"No, Yahiko. You might be the strongest ten year old in Japan, but you are still only ten and have much to learn." Kenshin stepped back to get his full attention. "You may have to face a man who relies on devices rather than skill."

What the...? Unskilled Gadget-Man? "I understand." Henya didn't have any skills either so bring it on.

_Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will_. Kaoru stalked away from Koshijiro's book because Udo Jin-E already did that. If Enishi tried it she'd beat him blue.

The evening sky gradually grew darker while Kaoru sat on the covered porch listening for Kenshin. She was certain he'd gone to his room when she began washing the dinner dishes and she grew concerned when the first three stars appeared before he did. He wasn't in the kitchen, his room, the dojo, or the bathhouse. Kaoru wasn't quite ready to give up searching yet and gripped the paper wrapped pants tucked in her sleeve as she latched the gate behind her.

A swarm of fireflies in the copse of trees on the right drew her attention and she suddenly felt a strong surge of chi as she came closer.

"Ken…shin?" She must have interrupted some type of chi training.

"Kaoru-dono," he moved toward the road where she waited for him "This one apologizes for worrying you."

"No, I'm sorry for disturbing your training." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind an ear with no courage to give him the package now.

Kenshin watched tiny lights flicker around her hair and face unwilling to let such an opportunity go by. "This unworthy one hopes that you will accept this small gift, Kaoru-dono." The words didn't come out quite the way he planned as he pulled a plain paper wrapped bundle from his kimono.

Kaoru opened his gift just enough to see it was an obi to match her yellow kimono. "What does this mean?" She whispered softly.

"The obi means whatever Kaoru-dono wishes it to imply, that it does."

Her heart was pounding as she reached into her kimono sleeve "Then I want it to represent an old tradition. I want to stay with you."

Kenshin gripped the package tightly discovering that it was probably cloth, most likely the customary pair of hakama. He wrapped his arms around her without opening his engagement gift, too wrapped up in the tiny lights hovering around her hair to clarify that they were officially engaged.

Kaoru expected him to say something because of the way he held her or whisper to her when he turned his face toward her neck; although she tilted her head and wrapped her arms around his waist Kenshin only buried himself further.

* * *

The italicized lines are quoted from The Art of War by Sun Tsu which Koshijiro probably learned from his commanding officer.


	14. Grudges

Cho frowned at the man in a police uniform eating a bowl of soba at a street stand. Watching Enishi lounge around a mansion for a week was enough to make Cho consider hitting the road; Shishio didn't make him feel like a minion the way Saito did. "He received four huge fire lanterns with baskets attached to them that are large enough to carry two people." Cho stood at the end of the bench while Fujita paid for his meal.

"He laid low after the attacks on Chief Uramura and Maekawa-dojo. Now he's going somewhere via hot air balloon." Saito adjusted his uniform cap and turned to Broom-head "What was he doing just before you left?"

"They were starting fires in the back to launch them. You're not going to return any of my swords yet, are you?"

Saito put on his second glove "Of course not." He scanned the skyline then started walking.

* * *

"The kid told me about you two, but I wanted to see for myself." Sano handed a small bundle to Kenshin. "What made you decide to act now, in the middle of all this?"

Kenshin unwrapped the cloth revealing three grenades. "The Obi was purchased before this one's memories returned; however there was no opportunity to give it to her until he had become himself again." He carefully set the small bombs next to him on the covered porch "There is no knowing what Yukishiro Enishi may mention during our fight therefore this one sought to assure Kaoru-dono of her place before hand." That, and her eyes were so blue in the twinkling lights of the fireflies.

"Well your timing sucks for me, now I owe Tae a hundred yen."

"You were betting?" That explains why she took him to the jewelers' and harassed Kaoru about their relationship. "We will discuss your gambling after the battle."

Kaoru approached with a tray of tea and onigiri "Would you like something to eat before sunset?"

Sano grabbed a rice ball with one hand and a cup with the other then thanked her with his mouth full.

Kenshin glanced to where Megumi was still scooping rice from the bamboo steamer and wrapping the onigiri in seaweed. He thanked Kaoru and took a cup of tea.

"Please eat, Kenshin. They aren't as good as yours, but still…"

He accepted one recalling the way she savored his rice the day after they exchanged gifts. Kaoru took a ball of rice from his hands before he had a chance to wrap it and licked her lips as if it were chocolate.

Yahiko was watching the western sky "We probably have about half an hour until dusk."

"That should be enough time to further discuss our tactics." Kenshin put his cup on the tray for Megumi to take to the kitchen.

"They'll likely start with their cannon aimed at the dojo." Sano stood with his feet should width apart already missing the fishbone he threw away.

No one disagreed with that, although Kaoru frowned at him "And they ought to attack all at once instead of taking turns one at a time. If Gein pressed his attack and Fuji of Hagan showed up much sooner at the Aoi-Ya there would have been a different outcome."

"Too bad Misao didn't make it." Yahiko turned his back on the setting sun and rested against the wall.

"Yes, that is regrettable. Kaoru-dono, please reconsider-"

"My grandfather built this house. Don't ask me not to defend it, Kenshin."

Kenshin had to concede because outside of locking her in the storage shed… no. "Make defending yourself the priority. Yahiko, are you prepared to strike?"

"Leave gadget-man to me." Using tricks and tools to kill and maim simply because he thinks its fun; thanks to Kaoru he'd show the fool what skill is.

"Do you want to use one of these?" Sano grabbed two of the grenades.

"No, this one will leave them to your discretion. However, ending this quickly is preferable. Fairness is for one-on-one duels and not necessarily extended to one who attacks innocent acquaintances."

"Got that right."

"Battosai!"

They looked up to see four small hot air balloons "Enishi will be able to see every sword move while his style remains unknown."

"They can attack whenever they choose and we can't touch them."

Sano stepped up "Let Tsunan take care of Whale Mouth instead of showing your blade already." He lit the short fuse with his friend's flint device as the Armstrong landed taking aim at Kenshin and Kaoru. If Sano spent the past ten days practicing his throw instead of pounding rock perhaps it would have gone into the barrel as he intended.

The explosion knocked the man into the street and he wasn't getting up so Megumi went over to see if he was still alive while Banjin and Hyoko jumped from their balloon.

Banjin smashed the gate with his new gauntlets "Ha!"

"He is confident." Kaoru moved to the covered porch.

"But his mind is weak." Yahiko joined her.

"What did you say?" Banjin focused on the pair.

"True, Yahiko." Kaoru assessed the man's metal clad fists. "That move was pointless."

"So he's the same type?" Megumi entered the yard looking over at Sano "I see."

"How brave of the women and children to stay," Hyoko lifted his left hand preparing to shoot his small arrows "Why don't I-"

Kenshin and Sano moved to block "You are forgetting who your opponents are." Kenshin unsheathed his sakabato "Megumi-san, is Kujiranami alive?"

"He's still breathing." She stepped onto the porch.

"So you're Battosai. Great, I'll defeat you." Banjin turned from Kenshin to Sano "But first I'll clear my name from last time."

"Wait, how can he have a grudge against Kenshin when he doesn't even know who he is?" Yahiko fingered the hilt of his shinai tucked at his waist.

"He reminds me of a puppy the way his attention is so easily diverted."

"True," Kaoru couldn't disagree with the doctor "And he has no real strength since he has to rely on two pieces of metal. Nothing Sano can't handle." The three dismissed Banjin and turned toward Hyoko to see Kenshin still standing in front of the man.

Hyoko held the trigger cord for the arrows strapped to his left wrist thinking of a way to goad Battosai when he saw Sano kick Banjin in the face breaking his nose. "I can't believe you are so fragile. No wonder you didn't defeat him before."

Banjin turned away from Sano who used the short diversion to check on the other enemies; someone else was in Enishi's balloon and a large box was tied underneath the basket. It looked big enough to hold Iwanbo; that must be Gein with another fake body. He quickly lit another grenade and threw it in the general direction of the closest balloon just before Banjin's right gauntlet connected with his head.

Kenshin flipped the blade locking the cutting edge forward and leapt at Hyoko slicing through the device on his wrist so he didn't have any ranged weapons to use against Yahiko. The second grenade warped the bottom of Enishi's basket and the box underneath crashed into the street. It was another doll although it didn't look as much like a man this time. Kenshin regretted not taking one of the grenades to ruin the gears from the inside before Gein climbed into the mouth.

Kaoru quickly tucked a bokken into her hakama belt and stood with her feet shoulder width apart at the top of the porch steps while Yahiko smashed his shinai against Hyoko's temple. He gave the man time to climb to his feet thinking that Yutaro would have been prepared for that head strike. Yahiko was very unimpressed "I'm facing another goldfish turd?" Yahiko held his shinai at midlevel "Why are you standing around instead of attacking? If you're scared to face someone strong then leave already."

"I will kill you for that." Hyoko began listing some of his shadow weapons to discourage the boy and dampen his spirit.

Yahiko didn't really care as long as dynamite wasn't involved. With those metal spikes curved around Hyoko's shoulders the boy was limited to elbow and wrist attacks. When the man finally decided to draw a sword Yahiko struck the metal discovering it was dull and that Hyoko had no skill. Easily out maneuvering the blade to land solid hits was fun and Yahiko took a step back to laugh out loud.

Banjin looked away from Sano to see what was so funny and saw Hyoko's bloody face. "A little kid did that to you? What a weakling!"

Sano wasted no time using left handed Futae No Kiwami on his face smashing Banjin's nose to the point he was only able to breathe through his mouth. "Don't forget you have me!"

Hyoko pulled out a glass jar and introduced the brat to Bishamon's Sword. He loosened the cork stopper before throwing it to make sure it broke open when it collided with Yahiko's shinai. This time Hyoko's sword changed direction in mid-swing cutting the boy's upper right arm.

"Wait Yahiko, think before you attack!" Kaoru tried to figure out how the powder changed the sword's direction while Yahiko was cut on his left arm and left leg. "Yahiko step back. Even someone holding a sword for the first time doesn't aim at legs. That sword has magnetic properties."

"But knowing the trick doesn't tell you how to deal with it." Hyoko grinned.

"Myojin Yahiko, Tokyo Samurai, does not need everything explained." He charged low and fast to steal Hyoko's sheath. As he expected the blade was more attracted to the magnetic sheath than the iron powder on him. Unfortunately holding the sheath while covered in iron powder caused the metal spikes to quickly curve toward him. Yahiko was stabbed in his arms, ribs and legs.

Hyoko stepped back pulling his spikes out of the boy to watch him fall then laughed when he noticed Kaoru unguarded at the top of the steps. He grasped the trigger with his right hand and raised his left arm to find the device holding his small arrows was cut through. None of the remaining shadow instruments were useful at this range yet Hyoko didn't want to get any closer to the angry woman.

Yahiko staggered a bit however he was on his feet with shinai in hand "What are you looking at her for? I'm not done with you yet."

Kaoru was absolutely furious with the man and desperately searched for a way to get Yahiko away from him; the brat was barely able to stay on his feet. She clamped her lips to keep from yelling at Yahiko to guard himself because she didn't want to draw Hyoko's attention to his unprotected head. She risked stealing a quick glance to see Sano take an elbow to the throat and Kenshin was facing an updated puppet with rotating arms so she drew her bokken to pummel the spikes off Otowa Hyoko.

Yahiko saw a dull sword and six sharp points coming at him again yet refused to back down. He automatically crossed his wrists over his head the way he practiced five thousand times over the past week as he muttered "Blade Catching" then slid the back of his hands along the flat of the blade murmuring "Hawatari" as he used every shred of his remaining strength to stab his hilt into Hyoko's neck crushing his windpipe.

Megumi was at Yahiko's side in an instant removing his gi to assess the damage. She looked back toward the porch to tell Kaoru there were no life threatening injuries and saw the girl sitting in a daze with her bokken resting on her knees.

"Ken…shin."

The puppet's upper arm swiveled in one direction while the forearm twisted in another to grab Kenshin and throw him to the ground behind it's back. Kaoru was sure Gein was going to crush him in the fist, not that landing so hard was much better. She ignored Megumi's insult about her weak knees and got to her feet as Kenshin stood up and turned his blade sharp side out.

According to Okina and Misao the previous version had impervious skin and the head rotated in a complete circle. This one was able to rotate all joints in a complete circle, but perhaps Kenshin could pierce the skin and disable the gears in the shoulders or elbows. He used a Dragon Hammer strike on the right elbow only to find that Gein was able to detach the joints so that all Kenshin accomplished was putting a hole in the skin. Once the joint was reattached the break in the elastic skin wasn't in a useful spot.

He took a running leap and used Dragon Flight to find out how far the skin was able to stretch before tearing apart. Gain detached the arm leaving the cables to be cut through as Kenshin ripped the skin; the right arm landed on the other side of the street.

"Come down and face me Enishi!"

"You murdered my sister and I will cast down Jinchu when there is no one else for you to fight!"

Sano landed hard against the dojo wall close to Kaoru cracking the plaster then held his neck as he stepped away from the wall trying to take a breath.

Banjin jumped onto the porch "That's my favorite move. Grab, crush and throw!"

Megumi wasn't able to do anything for Ken-san yet, but she knew what to do for Sano "You stupid bird head! Are you planning to use that mastery of layers?"

Banjin turned on her "Woman, we are in the middle of a fight here!"

Sano smirked at how easily his opponent was distracted "Kenshin made me promise not to fight fair, but since you've obviously only ever fought those weaker than you cross your arms like this" He held both arms in front of his chest "so I can use my right hand against both gauntlets."

Banjin grudgingly complied only because he was certain the idiot would fail. However Mastery of Three Layers shattered both gauntlets and Mastery of Two Layers broke his ribs. Suddenly he was on his back trying to breathe without having his right lung punctured.

"Where is Kenshin?"

He was prone, sliding along the ground until he reached the puppets severed arm. Kenshin made it to his knees then coughed up blood.

"That's bad, very bad." Megumi did not like the way Ken-san was holding his ribs as he got to his feet.

"This is functional beauty! I will show you my creation of physical beauty later." With lightning speed Gein twisted the puppet around to take Kenshin's back "Do you still think I am playing?"

"If you don't know the taste of blood or pain everything you do is mere play."

Megumi wanted to smack Kaoru for getting teary eyed and Kaoru wanted to run over there and hug Kenshin for using the severed arm as a shield. Their relief was short lived when the puppet's remaining left arm was raised and began twisting as it smashed into the ground where Kenshin had been standing. The fingers were also rotating as Gein crashed the hand into the street again trying to crush his elusive opponent.

"Each time the hand hits Kenshin thrusts into the wrist and although he's bound to destroy this new Iwanbo he is still going to face a rested Enishi who has seen too many of his moves."

"You worry too much Missy. When this fight is over we can make sure he gets some rest before facing his brother-in-law."

"And whatever care he needs is nothing compared to this rooster-headed idiot." Megumi was still trying to stop the bleeding in both mangled hands.

Seeing that Kenshin was being pushed back to the neighbor's fence gave Sano an idea "Hey, where is the last grenade?"

"By to door where you left it." Kaoru retrieved it, but he wasn't able to grab it.

"I have a feeling Kenshin's is going to have to use the same move he used against Aoshi and Shishio. We need to create a diversion so Enishi doesn't see it; light the grenade and throw it up as hard as you can before Kenshin attacks."

Kaoru saw Kenshin standing on the roof the neighbor's gate and wasted no time using a torch on the dojo wall to light the small bomb and threw it toward the two small hot air balloons.

Kenshin heard the explosion and instantly hit Gein with Dragon Flight of Heaven turning the puppet into so much scrap. He looked back at the dojo to make sure everyone was okay then sighed with relief thinking that it was only Sano wasting the last grenade again. The balloons were still there and the puppet master stayed in the remains apparently unable to stand.

"Come out of that toy and fight on your own."

"I am old and have less skill than Otowa Hyoko who was killed by the boy. I must decline."

Kenshin entered the yard to find it was true. The body was in the middle and Yahiko was unconscious at the bottom of the steps although Megumi had obviously cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Enishi was momentarily forgotten as Megumi and Kaoru led him into the dojo to treat his injuries.

Once Kenshin was seated on the raised platform under the student plaques Kaoru knelt by his right side. "I hope that grenade kept Enishi from seeing you destroy Gein's puppet. What move did you use?"

"Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki." Kenshin rested his left hand on his knee and fisted his right to get past the pain while Megumi unwrapped his abdomen. "The Hiten Mitsurugi secret move relies heavily on purity of heart to stand on the paper thin wall between defeating an enemy and killing." He removed his kimono to make it easier for Megumi "Kaoru-dono, your support provides much strength; therefore, no matter how difficult, this one will keep fighting to protect those within sight."

Kaoru gripped her knees "Please protect yourself most of all, Kenshin. I want to stay with you."

"That is the intention; however, perhaps we should wait until after the fight with Enishi to discuss it. He is determined to make this one pay for Tomoe's death."

Kaoru nodded, uselessly wishing that fourteen years of atonement was enough. She doubted Kenshin's brother-in-law regretted any of the lives he took so Enishi wasn't able to grasp the concept of remorse. "How will you reach Enishi when he has no ability to understand you?"

"Hopefully knowing this one's wife is all that is necessary." She was the only common ground, although his memories probably didn't coincide with Enishi's fantasy of her.

Kaoru stood up and headed for the door to check on Yahiko. Leaving him out here alone wasn't a good idea and Sano sitting on the top step didn't count.

"It looks like whoever is in that last balloon will be joining us soon, Missy."

Kaoru heard him land on the roof and followed Sano down the steps to stand on the other side of Yahiko. She drew her bokken seeing the man perched on the peak with a left arm long enough to reach the porch roof. "It looks like that arm with spikes on each finger is his only weapon. Guess it's my turn."

"Hold on there, Little Miss." Sano moved his right arm as if to block her.

"Sano, are you about to imply I'm weak and unskilled?" She held her bokken ready to strike his right shoulder.

"That never crossed my mind." He lowered his arm and took a step back.

"What are your ties to Yukishiro Enishi?" Saito walked into the yard taking a drag on his cigarette. "Oh, I see." The one he was after was still in his balloon. Otowa Hyoko was no longer a concern, not that he'd been much of a problem to begin with, and Inui Banjin was on his back struggling to breath. Where was Gein? And who was the freak on the roof?

"We thought you were dead!" Sano's shout brought Kenshin and Megumi out to the porch.

"That doesn't answer my question." He noticed Kujiranami climbing to his feet "Cho, disable the cannon again." Saito crushed the stub with his heel.

"What? Now I have to clean up after them?" Cho muttered looking around for a weapon to use and only found Hyoko's dull weak blade. Are you serious? He mourned the loss of his collection all over again.

"Watch out!" Kaoru yelled at Kenshin and Megumi when the creepy man on the roof raised his left arm and extended the short blades on his fingers. She and Sano protected Yahiko as roofing tiles and chunks of wood went flying. Why was her dojo always being damaged? She squared her shoulders and glared at her enemy as she moved closer to the middle of the yard. Kaoru stood with her feet shoulder width apart holding her bokken at midlevel waiting for an attack.

Yatsume grinned showing his sharpened teeth "Pick up your sword Battosai or I will face the woman."

Kenshin stepped between Kaoru and the wolf "Saito, why are you here?"

"I am after the arms dealer in the sky. His existence is a threat to Japan."

"Enishi has already stated he will come down when there is no one else to fight."

"Is that freak all that remains?" Saito lit another cigarette.

"Yes."

"Then step aside Kamiya. I don't want to lose the opportunity to take Yukishiro down."

Kaoru didn't have much of a choice so she tucked her bokken into her hakama tie and went back to stand guard over Yahiko. Kenshin joined her putting a hand on her shoulder as they watched Saito unsheathe his katana.

Megumi knelt by Yahiko's head "Who has the advantage?"

Sano stood between her and the fight "I can't see him losing to anyone but Kenshin."

Yatsume jumped to the ground and quickly used his modified arm to scoop up enough dirt to slow the Gatotsu's momentum. Kenshin was a little upset that Saito's thrust was pushed back; a longer fight gave Yatsume more chances to learn how to counter attack. Kaoru felt him grow tense and reached up to cover his hand on her shoulder which calmed him somewhat.

Saito directed a thrust at Yatsume's left hand, the only place unprotected by the second wall of dirt he threw up. Five short spikes instantly closed around the blade stopping the thrust; however it was a simple matter to pull the blade back and strike the extended arm with Zeroshiki. Saito's katana was buried up to its hilt as Yatsume screamed in agony.

He lit another cigarette waiting for a chance to retrieve his blade, the one chosen from Cho's room. Fortunately Yatsume decided to attack from above making it easy for Saito to jump on his back forcing him to land on his head. "This sword is worth too much to let rust in blood." The wolf grabbed the hilt and roughly pulled the blade free causing another scream of agony.

Megumi and Kaoru felt a little sick and squeamish seeing the mess Saito made of his opponent. Kenshin released Kaoru's shoulder to approach his enemies already knowing the next move. He grabbed the hilt making Saito stop and look up.

"What are you doing?"

"One death tonight is enough. Megumi-san, please see that he doesn't die here."


	15. Vengeance

Yukishiro Enishi was a bit disgruntled seeing the two that close during Yastume's fight. What right did that murderer have to forget his sister so quickly? What kind of a woman was she to not only throw a grenade at him, but let Battosai touch her and even hold his hand as well? He began a slow descent satisfied that Tomoe was finally going to be avenged.

Kenshin still wasn't sure if he would be able to reach Enishi, but with everyone's support his heart was strong enough to face his brother-in-law. He felt Kaoru's fingers grasping his sleeve and turned to see her looking down.

"Please protect yourself above all else, Kenshin. I wish everyone finds some happiness." Kaoru looked up at him through her fringe.

"Like us." His smile grew broader when she grinned.

Enishi landed in the street and Kenshin walked through the remains of the gate to meet him. "Do you have doubts about fighting?"

Guilt and remorse drenched his memories of Tomoe. Although revenge for Kiyosato Akira brought them together in a twisted way with her dying breath she wanted him to live. Tomoe didn't write lies about her feelings in her diary so he will continue to live protecting those within sight. "No, there are no doubts."

Enishi removed his cloak "I prepared a cruel penance for you, but before that I will have you experience the pain you made my sister suffer." He unwrapped an ancient Japanese Tachi blade with a Chinese hilt.

Kenshin was able to either dodge or flip over Enishi's initial moves because they were to gauge his skill; however his brother-in-law soon tired of a half-hearted battle and used a martial art jutsu combined with an upward slash forcing Kenshin into the neighbor's courtyard wall. Kenjutsu combined with a longer blade left Kenshin's earlier injury throbbing.

"Are you underestimating me or overestimating yourself?" Enishi was frustrated that Kenshin was unwilling to attack.

"This one is fighting to stop you, not harm you." Except he still didn't know how to stop his brother-in-law who had convinced himself Kenshin was unaware of the pain he caused Tomoe by slicing her back open. As if someone else held her as she bled out.

"Until you get serious I will entertain them with a story." Enishi gestured to the four standing at the edge of the street. "Once upon a time there was a boy whose older sister was murdered by you." His downward slash was blocked "All alone in the world he crossed the sea to Shanghai." His thrust was deflected "He learned to drink from mud puddles and eat carcasses in the street to avoid starvation. I was taken in by a family, yet the sight of them living peacefully was unbearable. They were foolish prey and easy enough to slaughter." This time his thrust hit Kenshin's left arm.

"Why didn't you choose to grow up in your father's house and find your own happiness?"

"Japan without my sister is intolerable. I will not allow you any happiness after taking mine." Enishi spotted her between the woman doctor and the idiot, standing in front of the ex-Shinsengumi.

"You will be stopped here." Kenshin held his sakabato in his left hand aware that Enishi was focused on the sidelines instead of him. Was he looking at Kaoru?

* * *

"Get away while you can." Saito flicked ash from the tip. "He will target you." He took a long drag while she answered him.

"I thought you were half an enemy," Kaoru met Saito's narrowed eyes "But in their current position Yukishiro Enishi will notice me leave before Kenshin does so I can't move now."

"You can give him a cheer." Sano looked over his shoulder at her "Yell something to get him started."

Megumi frowned "He's doing this for you after all."

Kaoru realized Kenshin wasn't going to move any time soon and was a little embarrassed that she was the one expected to make him fight. "Do it!"

Kenshin blocked another hit then struck Enishi with Dragon Hammer. Enishi's blade missed as Kenshin leapt into the air attacking the psychopath with Nine Headed Dragon.

It took a minute, but Enishi got to his feet; although he still wobbled a bit as he held his sword with the hilt pointed at the ground. "Withstanding that attack proves I'm not a less-than-nothing weakling who couldn't protect my sister from you."

Kenshin slowly sheathed his blade. "You only had to stop her from running into the middle of a swordfight. That takes a different type of strength."

"Attack me already. I have to complete the Jinchu." Enishi pressed the steel blade against the back of his arm "As long as my sister smiles at me I will be stronger than anyone. In your mind is my sister smiling on you?"

"It isn't a matter of smiling or not smiling. Tomoe is not seen, not even her shadow."

"I warned you not to say her name." Enishi was enraged at Battosai's disrespect.

"This one's wife is not seen." Kenshin refused to believe Tomoe would have been happy with the man her younger brother became.

Referring to Tomoe as his wife was even worse causing Enishi to move a second before Kenshin unleashed Dragon Flight of Heaven. The vacuum created by Kenshin's first strike rolled over his brother-in-law crouched like a tiger waiting to spring. Kenshin's second strike landed a second too late allowing Enishi's longer blade to cut from his lower right rib to his left shoulder. It was too shallow to bleed out, yet serious enough to bring Kenshin to his knees.

"Does the gash you gave my sister hurt, Battosai?" Enishi let his blade rest against his right shoulder satisfied that the man was now aware that he caused Tomoe pain. "I am beginning the true Jinchu. You took my sister's fiancé then you took my sister so I will take someone from you."

* * *

Cho leaned against a courtyard wall with his eyes closed taking slow deep breaths. The cannon was disabled again and if Saito didn't like the method used then he should have been given a proper sword. Cho absentmindedly turned the broken blade in his hand as he watched Gein pull an odd device from his broken puppet suit and fill the street with smoke, functional beauty indeed. After Battosai stumbled into the smoke chasing Enishi, Gein pulled a large bundle from the hot air balloon that the arms dealer used. Cho saw a black tail dangle from the end when the thick roll was thrown over a shoulder so he decided to follow the puppet master into the smoke concealing Kamiya Dojo.

* * *

Kaoru was torn between running to Kenshin and running from Enishi. The smoke hid her somewhat, yet Megumi's loud repetitive demands that she go made her location obvious. After escaping from the well intentioned doctor Kaoru wasn't sure where Enishi or Kenshin were and drew her bokken when a tall silhouette approached through the haze.

"I have nothing against you personally, even though you threw a grenade at me." Enishi leaned his sword against his shoulder "I defeated him despite your little trick because Tomoe smiled at me."

"Kenshin's heart is too strong to be defeated by you." Kaoru dropped into her favorite defensive stance waiting for him to attack. Why was Enishi delaying?

"You don't stand a chance and he isn't coming to save you." He moved his sword to mid-level "You're only a replacement for sister anyway."

"I doubt that." Kaoru was well aware she was no substitute for a traditional beauty who was raised to be the perfect wife for a samurai. He kept looking behind her and she didn't dare turn to see if anyone was on the dojo porch.

Enishi smiled "Give up."

She raised her bokken "Never" and mimicked Kenshin's front flip when he disappeared. Kaoru wasn't sure if he intended to take her back or attack from above so she did a tuck and roll trying to stay out of his range. The effort turned out to be a waste of time when he reappeared in front of her and aimed at her face. Kaoru deflected his blade which resulted in a much shorter bokken.

Kenshin caught up with Enishi in time to hear him say Kaoru-dono was going to be sacrificed; he struck from behind and without warning. Dragon Hammer hit the back of Enishi's head planting his face in the trench Yatsume made. "You will not be allowed to harm Kaoru-dono."

After waiting for his brother-in-law to regain his footing and retrieve his glasses Kenshin repeated "Whether or not you think Tomoe wanted vengeance, Kaoru-dono will not be touched."

"You will suffer as I had to suffer all these years. Tomoe isn't able to carry out her murder's death sentence so it is left to her loved one. Suffer and die!"

Kenshin sidestepped the wild swing "Tomoe's last words bore no malice."

Enishi sneered in derision "You say that because she won't smile for you." He closed his eyes to concentrate on his sister's beautiful face and discovered her gentle smile was missing. She smiled before, why not now? Was he taking too long? He raised his blade with both hands on the hilt to cut Battosai down. Another Dragon Flight of Heaven was unleashed to counter the attack. Because he wasn't crouching this time Enishi was drawn into the vacuum created by the first swing and the second sliced from right shoulder to left side.

Saito took a long drag on his cigarette as he watched Enishi's prone figure for a sign of life. He'd love to find out if the wind of the dragon's wings can withstand zeroshiki or if dragon claws would prevail. "Looks like he'll live."

Cho came out of the dojo "I don't know if you want to see this-"

"Time's wasting." Saito interrupted "We still need to know who he's supplying so take him to the jail."

Glaring with a frown because scathing retorts were useless, Cho picked up Enishi's sword and tucked it into his belt to start his new collection. Saito raised an eyebrow but made no comment as his minion, assistant, threw the disoriented arm's dealer over a shoulder and stalked toward the police station.

"What did that idiot broom-head find?" Sano took the steps two at a time then stopped short in the doorway. "You're not going to want to see this."

Megumi followed him "What could possibly be worse than…oh, my."

Kaoru was stunned to see an exact replica of herself slumped against the wall. Blood seeped from the sword imbedded in the right shoulder and dripped from the 'X' carved into the left cheek; Yukishiro Enishi was a vile man.

"That is a bit too much to bear." Kenshin gripped Kaoru's shoulder tightly with a pale face as he turned toward the ruined yard. "You shouldn't look, that you should not." His right hand pressed against her cheek to make her face him instead and rested his forehead against hers waiting for the queasiness to pass.

Kaoru grew concerned at his reaction and assumed blood loss made him feel dizzy. "Megumi-san, please treat Kenshin quickly."

The doctor ushered him to the steps where it was easier for her to cover the long gash in ointment and wrap his torso. "Sano, stop gawking at that thing and go get Dr. Gensai. Yahiko ought to stay at the clinic until he fully recovers. Ken-san, you would mend better there as well."

"This scratch is no reason to leave home; however Yahiko will rest better at the clinic for a day or two."

With nothing left to do at the moment Kaoru sat next to Kenshin. What was Enishi going to do with that-? No, don't think about it. She mentally calculated the cost of rebuilding the gate and porch roof. How long was Gein studying her in order to make-? No, don't think about it. They were all safe. Nothing else mattered.

"Your sword style takes an incredible toll on the body. You won't be able to fight like this forever." Megumi scolded as she put her supplies into the proper drawers of her medicine box.

"Thank you for your concern, Megumi-san. There is no intention of continuing to fight forever."

* * *

Shinomori Aoshi entered the large gap in the fence with Misao at his side. There was no bell to ring. It was attached to a piece of wood lying at the base of a mound of dirt that followed a trench curving around the front of the dojo. "It seems we're too late." The remains of the porch roof were scattered behind the trench and there was blood in the dirt on one side of the steps.

"Aoshi-sama, look at Iwanbo!" Misao was disgusted at the bubbly skin. The stench of so much rotting meat in the corner of the yard was unbearable even with a hand over her nose.

The door to the training hall was left partially open and Aoshi headed for the steps.

"Good morning Aoshi-san, please don't enter the dojo; something worse than Iwanbo may still be inside." Kenshin wasn't able to bow deeply due to his injuries "It was obviously too much to hope the police would have taken Gein's puppets also."

"Who is it, Kenshin?" Kaoru came around the side "Misao! I'm so glad you made it."

"It looks like we missed all the fun."

"Please come into the kitchen for some tea. The journey is a bit tiring despite the train making it a week shorter."

They sat around the low table the discussing the previous evening over tea and Megumi's left over rice balls until the noon bang made Kenshin flinch. Kaoru and Aoshi noticed, but politely ignored it although his reaction reminded them of what was waiting in the yard and dojo.

"Kenshin, is it alright if her diary is given to him? Should we go this afternoon since Yahiko will be back tomorrow?"

"Yes, his sister will be able to reach his heart long before this one. Perhaps you may want to visit Tae and the clinic as well while you are out."

"Then we will be back before sunset."

Kenshin turned to Aoshi after they left "This one appreciates your visit and hopes that tomorrow will be much more restful for you and Misao-dono."

Aoshi expected another fight to the death and considered disposing of two fake bodies a better task than taking another life, at least until he saw Kamiya-san pinned to the wall in a pool of congealed blood. In his opinion Kenshin was entirely too compassionate letting Gein live and Kaoru was extremely generous in her concern for Enishi.

* * *

Kenshin closed the gate behind Kaoru when they went for a walk the next evening leaving Megumi, Misao and Sano relaxing on the porch while Aoshi meditated inside. They walked in silence toward the river until they reached the old log at the bottom of the bank. "Sincerest apologies Kaoru-dono, there is no desire to go any farther."

"You shouldn't overexert yourself anyway, Kenshin." Kaoru sat on his left watching the water flow by.

A couple of stars became visible in the fading light before Kenshin spoke again "While you were out with Aoshi-san and Misao-dono today this one emptied his travel pack and realized that Tomoe's comb ought to have been left in Kyoto. If we take the ferry tomorrow we may be back by the time repairs are finished."

"Are you sure you want me along on a visit with your wife?"

Kenshin turned to meet her eyes "The most important person will be kept close, Kaoru-dono. Enishi's puppet was disturbing and your smile cannot be protected if we are far apart."

She grinned at him and nodded. It wasn't like him to be so open and direct.

"There is also much to discuss before being registered." Perhaps on the way home he'd tell her about Shinta.

"Then you don't want to have a ceremony at the shrine?" Kaoru wasn't sure they had enough money left for a wedding kimono.

"The end result is still the same so it will be left for you to decide when we return."


End file.
